Vol 34 ISSUE 2/25 • June 2025 T H E E U R O P E A N F O R U M F O R T H O S E I N T H E BU S I N E S S O F M A K I N G H E A LT H C A R E WO R K Precision approach through the eye socket Orbital gateway to surgical removal of brain tumours Using a keyhole surgery ap- proach, surgeons have found a new way to access previously difficult-to-reach brain regions with faster recovery times. With the help of 3D modelling tech- nology, the neurosurgeons suc- ceeded in removing complex tu- mours from the cavernous sinus through the eye socket, avoiding complex brain surgery and en- abling their patients to make a quicker recovery. ‘The primary advantage is that it provides direct access to the cav- ernous sinus, which was once thought to be an inaccessible area,’ explains Consultant Neurosurgeon Asim Sheikh from Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust in the UK, one of the European centres performing this procedure. ‘This allows safer removal of tumours without the risk of injuring or retracting brain tissue, which would otherwise be required with traditional cran- iotomy.’ The procedure begins with a small 1–1.5 cm incision at the outer edge of the eye, followed by an internal incision within the eye lining to ac- cess the bones. Surgeons then care- fully cut a small segment of bone in the outer wall of the eye socket, keeping it attached to tissues and muscles while pushing it outward to create space for surgical in- struments. The final step involves drilling the back wall of the eye socket to gain access to the tu- mour. This minimally invasive approach leaves patients with only a tiny scar near the eye, reducing recovery time drastically. The first UK pa- tient – a 40-year-old stroke nurse with a meningioma in the cavern- ous sinus – returned to work swiftly, within just three months of her surgery. 3D technology for optimal preparation Given the procedure‘s complexity, surgeons at Leeds utilized ad- vanced 3D modelling technology to rehearse the operation before entering the OR, building a 1:1 scale model to plan the surgery. Mr. Sheikh, who works alongside Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon Jiten Parmer, added that prepara- tion involves neuro-navigation software with 3D segmentation of all structures to virtually perform the surgery, complemented by www.healthcare-in-europe.com recovery, early mobilization, faster discharge home, reduced risk of brain injury, and superior access to deep-seated tumours. As this tech- nique continues to develop, it rep- resents a significant advancement in the treatment of complex brain tumours, offering hope to patients who previously had limited op- tions, the team summarizes. ■ Article: Mark Nicholls h k i e h S m i s A © Mr Asim Sheikh Using 3D models of their patient’s anatomy, the surgeons prepare the optimal access to the brain tumour. practice sessions in the cadaver lab. Lisa Ferrie, the Trust‘s Biomedical Engineer and 3D Planning Service Lead, notes that the 3D technology enables the surgical team to study patient anatomy and prepare for the procedure ‘with unparalleled accuracy,’ significantly enhancing surgical precision. Previously, an operation to remove such a tumour would require com- plex brain surgery involving cran- iotomy and taking a large part of the skull away – risking com- plications that could include brain injury and seizures, Sheikh said. ‘It’s a hard-to-reach area,’ he con- tinued, ‘but this new approach allows direct access without any compromise of pressure on the brain. We can now reach areas which were once thought to be in- operable, but now are accessible.’ Initially established for trauma pa- tients, the technique was adapted for brain tumour surgery by teams in South Korea and Barcelona, Spain – where Mr. Sheikh trained before introducing it to Leeds in 2023. Neurosurgeons in New York further developed the approach, which is now being taught to specialists in Oxford, Bristol, Edin- burgh, and Liverpool. this approach offers the ability to remove tumours that were pre- viously thought difficult to remove, or even inoperable. Substantial benefits for patients Depending on tumour size and consistency, the procedure takes 4–10 hours under general anaes- thesia. While there is a risk to af- fect the patient’s eyesight, Mr. Sheikh explains their technique minimizes this concern: ‘In our technique, we create room by re- moving a portion of the outer wall of eye socket and that minimises this risk. We have not had any vis- ual complications so far.’ The Leeds team has successfully performed six such operations for tumours. Mr. Sheikh explained that The benefits to patients have been reported to be substantial: quicker Mr Asim Sheikh is Consultant Neur- osurgeon with subspecialist expertise in skull base and neurovascular sur- gery at the Leeds General Infirmary. His specialist interests include endo- scopic endonasal skull base surgery, open skull base neurosurgery, mini- mal access surgery and brain tumour surgery. He is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Society of British Neurological Sur- geons and the British Neurovascular group. CONTENTS SURGERY RADIOLOGY PATHOLOGY AI HEALTH IT 1 2-4 5 6 7-8 A segment of bone is cut and pushed outward to make space, followed by drilling the back wall to access a tumor. www.healthcare-in-europe.com h k i e h S m i s A ©

RADIOLOGY 3 Paediatric trauma in diagnostic imaging ‘It only takes one radiologist to stop child abuse’ identify Covid-19 has intensified do- mestic violence rates worldwide, with children among the most vulnerable victims. At the ECR 2025 radiology congress in Vien- na, Prof Dr Rick R. Van Rijn pres- ented insights into how radi- ologists can injuries for non-accidental suspicious trauma children through systematic imaging ap- proaches. From comprehensive skeletal surveys to specific neur- ological imaging protocols, the expert explained how these tech- niques are essential for early di- agnosis, enabling timely and po- tentially life-saving intervention. (NAT) in The WHO reports that six out of ten children under age five – ap- proximately 400 million worldwide – regularly experience violence from parents or caregivers. Data from the Netherlands show that one in 30 children suffer from a form of abuse, of them a quarter are reported to be the victim of physical abuse. Van Rijn, a paedia- tric forensic radiologist at the Am- sterdam University Medical Center (UMC) and Netherlands Forensic Institute, highlighted that child abuse, particularly abusive head trauma, is a major contributor to fatalities, disabilities, and devel- opmental challenges in infants.1 However, he pointed out that many hospitals still do not have con- sistent procedures in place for ad- dressing suspected cases. Europe‘s guideline, “The Radiologi- cal Investigation of Suspected Physical Abuse in Children,” estab- lishes a standard for best practices. However, it sets demanding crite- ria, such as requiring double read- ing or forensically trained radiogra- phers – a standard that remains hard to obtain in many countries. ‘What any radiologist can do, re- gardless of specialization, is ensure radiographs sufficient quality for expert review,’ Van Rijn advised. are of Recognizing red flags First of all, it is important to recog- nise possible signs of abuse. The „TEN-4-FACESp“ rule provides radiologists with a systematic ap- proach to identifying suspicious bruising in children under the age of 4 years. TEN-4-FACESp2 stands for bruising to the Torso, Ears, Neck, Frenu- ternational consensus statement published in JAMA Pediatrics4, all contact children, i.e. siblings or other children in the same house- hold, should be screened based on age-specific protocols: If no findings indicative of abuse are observed at physical examin- ation or based on clinical history, the child is screened as a contact child using age-based protocols: • Under 1 year: Perform a brain MRI (adding spine MRI if brain findings are abnormal) and a full skeletal survey. • · Ages 1–2 years: Perform a full skeletal survey. • · Ages 2–5 years: No radiological required unless screening physical findings suggest abuse. is The 35 radiographs recommended by „The Radiological Investigation of Suspected Physical Abuse in Children”. n j i R n a v k c i R © If findings indicative of abuse are present, the child is investigated as per (inter)national guidelines for an index case. patterned lum, Angle of the jaw, Cheeks, Eye- lids or Subconjunctivae, “4” repre- sents infants four months and younger with any bruise, any- where, and “p” means the presence of bruising. ‘Any of these signs should immedi- ately raise concerns,’ Van Rijn stated. He recounted a tragic case where medical professionals dis- missed unexplained bruising in an infant who later died from abuse, underscoring the life-or-death im- portance of vigilance. Inconsistencies in reported history or trauma mechanism provide an- other crucial warning sign. ‘When parents a 4-month-old walked and fell, that‘s immediately suspicious since children typically begin walking around eleven months,’ he explained. claim Comprehensive imaging: the critical first step A proper skeletal survey requires 35 radiographs of the child – a standard that cannot be compro- mised. ‘If you miss minor fractures, you risk missing child abuse,’ Van Rijn warned. This thoroughness is justified by statistics: one-third of children under the age of 2 years examined for a reported fracture have additional unreported frac- tures, and 40% of abusive head trauma cases reveal additional frac- tures elsewhere in the body.3 The follow-up skeletal survey, con- ducted after two weeks, requires fewer images but remains, even if the first skeletal survey is negative, essential. At the follow-up, radio- graphs should include the chest in three directions, upper and lower arms, upper and lower legs, and spot radiographs of areas with in- itial concerns or identified meta- physeal fractures. Van Rijn illustrated the importance of this with a case of a 7-week-old with whooping cough whose fol- low-up radiographs revealed heal- ing posterior rib fractures only vis- ible after callus formation had begun – a clear indicator of pre- vious trauma that would have otherwise gone undetected. ‘This meticulous approach to fol- low-up imaging ensures that no signs of healing trauma are missed, providing critical evidence for identifying abuse. However, im- aging should not stop at skeletal surveys – neurological imaging plays an equally vital role in un- covering hidden patterns of abuse.’ imaging Advanced neurological imaging: beyond the obvious Neurological extends beyond cases with clear symptoms of abuse. ‘This isn‘t just for clinical findings but for forensic purposes,’ Van Rijn clarified. ‘There‘s a strong pattern of recurrent trauma in these cases.’ Neurological imaging is essential in two key scenarios: when a child presents with neurological symp- toms, and even when no neurologi- cal symptoms are apparent but physical abuse is suspected in an infant. Van Rijn underscored the importance of imaging in the latter scenario by recounting a chilling example from a French study. ‘In some cases, caregivers admitted to shaking their child to make them stop crying. It worked – until one day, the child didn’t wake up any- more. It died,’ he explained. Van Rijn emphasized the import- ance of neurological imaging for forensic purposes. This evidence provides an entry point to engage with parents and offer support. ‘No one wakes up and says, “I will kill my child.” We know that there are certain risk factors associated with an increased risk of child abuse, understanding identifying these factors should lead to ad- equate interventions helping both the child as well as the parents/ caregivers. and Protecting the siblings: extending the safety net When abuse is identified, the in- vestigation shouldn‘t stop with the index patient. According to the in- A call to action ‘It only takes one radiologist to stop child abuse,’ Van Rijn con- cluded, noting that an international consensus guideline for imaging in suspected child physical abuse (IGISPA) is in development. His message was clear: radiologists armed with proper protocols and vigilance can make life-changing – and potentially life-saving – dif- ferences for vulnerable children. ■ Author: Tim Hofmann Rick R. van Rijn Rick R. van Rijn is a professor of forensic radiology at Emma Children’s Hospital – Amsterdam UMC, specializing in paediatric and forensic imaging. A leader in his field, he has published over 250 ar- ticles, chaired major radiology so- cieties, and was named an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Radi- ologists in 2025. 1 Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D et al.: Re- lationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Ex- periences (ACE) Study; American Journal of Preventive Medicine 1998; HTTPS://DOI. ORG/10.1016/S0749–3797(98)00017–8 2 Pierce MC, Kaczor K, Lorenz DJ et al.: Vali- dation of a Clinical Decision Rule to Predict Abuse in Young Children Based on Bruising Characteristics; JAMA Network Open 2021; HTTPS://DOI.ORG/ 10.1001/JAMANETWORKOPEN.2021.5832 3 Loos MLHJ, Ahmed T, Bakx R, van Rijn RR: Prevalence and distribution of occult frac- tures on skeletal surveys in children with sus- pected non-accidental trauma imaged or re- viewed in a tertiary Dutch hospital; Pediatric Surgery International 2020;36:1009–1017; HTTPS://DOI. ORG/10.1007/S00383–020–04706-Z 4Mankad K, Sidpra J, Mirsky DM et al.: Inter- national consensus statement on the radio- logical screening of contact children in the context of suspected child physical abuse; JAMA Pediatrics 2023;177:526–533; HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.1001/JAMAPEDI ATRICS.2022.6184

PATHOLOGY 5 Promising, but in need of further validation Implementation challenges of blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease Blood-based biomarker (BBB) tests may represent the best weapon to combat the soaring rates of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) throughout the world. Existing clinically validated tests are cur- rently deployed to facilitate diag- nosis, to monitor disease and ef- fectiveness of to quantify progression, and to de- termine if a patient is appropri- ate for treatment or participation in a clinical trial. treatments, Historically, diagnosis of AD has been based on clinical observa- tions and apparent symptoms, and, for those with access and the funds to pay, lumbar spinal puncture for a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) test or for a PET imaging scan. With the proliferation of BBB tests in clinical development, and with increasing levels of accuracy at- tained, they are expected to be- come a global tool to fight this most common of dementias. How- ever, there are many challenges to be overcome yet, both with the tests themselves and with their clinical implementation. Test equipment challenges The most accurate tests today use mass spectroscopy, which outper- form immune-based methods of measuring plasma in accuracy and reliability. Korean researchers from Hanyang University College of Medicine in Seoul conducted an in- depth review of current methodol- ogies used in published research to measure Amyloid-beta (Aβ) plas- ma. They discovered ‘considerable techniques Ionization-mass variance in the diagnostic efficacy of plasma Aβ, contingent upon the em- measurement ployed. spec- troscopy exhibited superior per- formance, while single molecule array (SIMOA) technology did not yield comparable results,’ wrote lead author Hyuk Sung Kwon,1 Mass spectrometry-based assays require specific expertise and in- frastructure, are time consuming, and yield lower throughput with immunoassays. The equipment is expensive and not available in many hospital and clinic labora- tories.2 However, immune-based methods are currently used for CSF analysis. In addition to immunoassays pro- ducing less accurate results of BBB tests they are also subject to batch- to-batch variation, antibody repro- ducibility, and potential cross- reactivity. They offer automated processing, lower cost, and can de- liver rapid turnaround time for point-of-care testing capability. And equipment is in the lab. These fac- tors make a strong case for the de- velopment of BBB tests specifically designed for immunoassays. Standardisation challenges Another challenge relates to col- lecting viable samples for process- ing in remote or low-economy geo- graphic areas with inadequate laboratory infrastructure. Expan- sion of testing capability of more robust samples, such as dried blood spot, could help resolve such issues. When multiple tests are available from multiple vendors, the cost of blood biomarker analysis is ex- pected to drop. While this is ex- pected to make BBB testing more accessible throughout the world, standardisation for blood biom- arker measurements is imperative. Reproducible, accurate, and con- sistent results are essential. The Global Biomarker Standardization Consortium of the Alzheimer’s As- sociation has been overseeing this critical issue as well as the devel- opment of certified reference ma- terial. Both tasks are enormous in scope and scale, but essential for wide- spread global adoption. Prof. Michel Schöll, Ph.D., of the University of Gothenburg and the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, and colleagues, write: ‘Standardisation challenges will vary greatly de- pending on the blood biomarker and analytic approaches used for its measurement.’ They add, ‘True standardisation will require the derival and validation of cutoffs that are translatable between me- thodological approaches for re- spective blood biomarkers.’ Standardisation reference values are made more complex by the fact that the requirements for the diag- nostic performance of a biomarker are determined by the BBB test’s context of use. As an example, a test to “rule in” AD needs a higher specificity cut point to minimise false positives, whereas a “rule out” test needs a high sensitivity cut point, to minimize false negatives.3 Challenges of population ethnic di- versity, medical comorbidities, and confounding factors Most BBB tests have been tested and validated in clinical trials with patient cohorts of non-Hispanic Caucasian people, who have few health-related comorbidities, and who live in developed economies in countries north of the Equator. Research is starting to reveal that co-morbidities, such as chronic kidney disease, hypertension, his- tory of cancer and/or cardiac ar- rest, diabetes, and some pre- scription drugs, can each impact biomarker concentrations in the blood. Alzheimer’s BBB research of the di- verse ethnic, genetic, cultural and demographic factors, and socioeco- nomic different populations of Af- rica, South Asia, Central America and South America has just begun, and is sparse compared to research in Europe, North America, China, Korea ap- proximately 60% of people living with dementia are estimated to be from low-income and middle- income countries in these under- researched areas.4 Japan. Yet, and This is a massive and complex challenge. ‘The unavailability of re- liable reference intervals for highly diverse populations could lead to the misinterpretation of laboratory test results and contribute to mis- diagnosis and inappropriate clini- cal intervention in a diverse real- setting with world greater heterogeneity among individuals,’ writes Schöll and his multi-national team of co-authors. Harald Hampel, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Neurology from Japan- based pharmaceutical company Eisai, and co-authors are more blunt: ‘While the performance of BBBs in highly selective popu- lations provides initial information, a broader understanding of how these biomarkers behave within the global community at large is needed to provide clinical guid- ance. It is imperative to conduct rigorous validation studies in more representative, real-world popu- determine which lations measures perform most con- sistently and to establish cutoffs and reference intervals that per- form reliably across all patient groups.’ to BBB tests in current clinical use are making diagnoses and AD monitoring more precise, and are facilitating AD research through better selection of patient cohorts for clinical trials. Still, it is going to take years before BBB testing can reach the lofty but much needed goal of stemming the epidemic of AD. ■ Report: Cynthia Keen 1. Kwon HS, Yu H-J, Koh S-H. Revolutionizing Alzheimer‘s Diagnosis and Management: The Dawn of Biomarker-Based Precision Medi- cine. Disord. 2024;23(4):188–201. doi.org/ 10.12779/dnd.2024.23.4.188. Neurocogn Dement 2. Schöll M, Verberk IMW, del Campo M, et al. Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration 2: Chal- lenges in the practical implementation of blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. Lancet Healthy Longev. 2024:S:100630. doi. org/10.1016/j.lanhl.2024.07.013. 3. Hampel H, Hu Y, Cummings J, et al. Blood- based biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease: Current state and future use in a transformed global landscape. Neuron. 2023;111(18):2781–2799. doi: 10.1016/j.neur- on.2023.05.017. healthcare 4. McGlinchey E, Duran-Aniotz C, Akinyemi R, et al. Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration 5: Biomarkers of neurodegeneration across the Global South. Lancet Healthy Longev. 2024 Oct;5(10):100616. doi: 10.1016/S2666–7568(24)00132–6. New disovery could prevent memory loss in Alzheimer‘s patients Research A gene once believed to fight only viral infections could also hold the key to preventing mem- ory loss in Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and Taiwan’s National Health Institutes (NHRI) have revealed that the immune gene CLEC5A plays a critical role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, rewriting the scientific community’s long- held understanding of dementia. Published in the Journal of Neur- oinflammation, results offer new into Alz- heimer’s disease mechanisms and pave the way for new drug development. insights their Traditionally, CLEC5A has been as- sociated with viral defense, activat- ing the immune system in response to diseases like dengue fever, Jap- www.healthcare-in-europe.com U C Y N © The research team (from right): NHRI Di- rector Dr. Shie-Liang Hsieh, NYCU Insti- tute of Brain Science Associate Profes- sor Han-Juo Cheng, and Ph.D. student Yu-Yi Lin. anese encephalitis, influenza, and Covid-19. It has also been linked to the deadly „cytokine storm“ phe- nomenon. However, in a surprising twist, a research team led by As- sociate Professor Han-Juo Cheng of NYCU‘s Institute of Brain Science and Dr. Shie-Liang Hsieh, Director of NHRI‘s Immunology Research Center, discovered that this gene also plays a pivotal role in Alz- heimer‘s disease. that lacked Using genetic engineering tech- niques, the team bred Alzheimer‘s model mice the CLEC5A gene and compared them with normal Alzheimer‘s mice. The results were astonishing: mice without the CLEC5A gene perform- ed significantly better in memory and learning tests. They showed a marked in harmful β-amyloid plaque accumulation—a hallmark of Alzheimer‘s pathology. reduction Professor Cheng explained that microglia—the brain’s resident im- mune cells—become hyperactive in response to abnormal β-amyloid buildup, mistakenly attacking healthy neurons and accelerating disease progression. However, when CLEC5A was removed, not only did microglial inflammation decrease, but their ability to clear β-amyloid improved dramatically, slowing the progression of brain degeneration. This discovery positions CLEC5A as a promising new therapeutic tar- get for Alzheimer’s. By designing drugs to block this gene’s protein function, scientists believe they may open a new front in the battle against dementia. “It started as a hunch without solid evidence,” ad- mitted Dr. Hsieh, who previously identified CLEC5A as a key factor in severe dengue and Japanese en- cephalitis cases. Initially, the team was uncertain whether this virus- related gene could also be im- plicated in Alzheimer’s. However, further that CLEC5A doesn’t just recognize vi- ruses—it’s also involved in auto- immune diseases like lupus, raising research revealed suspicions that it might mistakenly attack the brain’s nerve cells. This study also credits NYCU doc- toral students Yu-Yi Lin and Wen- Han Chang for their critical con- tributions. The findings have drawn significant attention from the international scientific commu- nity. As Alzheimer’s cases rise globally, this breakthrough led by Taiwan’s scientific teams not only offers a fresh perspective on the disease’s origins but also points to an en- tirely new direction for drug devel- opment, the research team hopes. Shortly, targeted therapies against CLEC5A could offer countless families a new beacon of hope in the fight against memory loss. ■ Source: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

HEALTH IT Digital resilience Healthcare cybersecurity: from basics to best practices 7 T T E H © Building resilience for digitally driven healthcare: At the HETT (Healthcare Excellence Through Technology) North conference in Manchester, leading IT special- ists highlighted the need for high levels of education, aware- ness and vigilance among health- care staff in the fight to protect systems against cyberattack. With the healthcare sector increas- ingly reliant on technology to de- liver services, and the NHS in the UK along with other major public organisations having a number of cyberattacks in recent years, experts are placing the em- phasis on getting the basics right as a critical step in protecting against, or minimising, future at- tacks and keeping patients safe. seen Nasser Arif, Cyber Security Man- ager at London North West Univer- sity Healthcare NHS Trust, chaired the panel at HETT North and opened the session by emphasiz- ing the importance of finding “the right balance” between optimal use of technology, patient access and protection against cyberattack. MFA, passwords, patching: getting the basics right Catherine O’Keeffe, Deputy Director of Cyber Operations (Delivery) and Head of the Cyber Profession within the Cyber Operations Team at NHS England, underlined the importance of multi-factor authentication (MFA), robust password management and patching (software changes to re- solve a security vulnerability). ‘MFA will stop 90% of cyberattacks,’ she said, ‘and if you get the patching right, you will take away some of the critical vulnerabilities.’ She said password management should also extend to clients and suppliers, where passwords may often not have been regularly up- dated. ‘Back to basics is absolutely where you should be. Get all the basics right and not only are you decreasing the risk, you are in- creasing resilience, and the ability to recover from cyberattack.’ Education and awareness Daniel Hallen, Director of Data & Digital (CIO) at East Lancashire Hospitals, pointed to the import- ance of education and awareness among all tiers of healthcare staff. Critical cybersecurity issues, he ar- gued, are rooted in user behaviour, such as posting details of them- selves on social media via smart- phones or adopting their at-home approaches at the workplace. ‘We have to educate people at all levels about security,’ he said. The expert placed an emphasis on senior leaders within an organisation with visible an “googleable” profile, who also need to protect them- selves in a personal capacity. To educate healthcare staff against the threat of cyberattacks, Hallen www.healthcare-in-europe.com The Cyber Security panel (from left) - NasserArif, Mohammad Waqas, Daniel O‘Shaughnessy, Catherine O‘Keeffe, Daniel Hallen. highlighted impactful awareness and communication strategies, in- cluding phishing exercises; re- inforcing cybersecurity messages; simulations and cyber training; testing security plans; and cam- paigns such as Cyber Security Month in October. This education approach, the experts said, must also apply when devices were being used by patients from their own homes. Cybersecurity as a team effort According to Mohammad Waqas, CTO Healthcare at cybersecurity company Armis, identifying vulner- abilities, understanding associated risks, and developing appropriate responses is essential. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of the different entry points and identify the most critical elements of patient care service delivery, he said, adding that ‘systems are never going to be 100% secure.’ However, even when a cyber-incident leads to inevitable downtime, it is crucial to maintain continuity when ser- vices are compromised. Waqas further pointed to the bene- fits of cross-organizational col- laboration to work through issues and pool resources in a financially constrained environment. The dis- cussion also highlighted the im- portance of interdisciplinary team- work, emphasizing the value of integrating perspectives from both clinical teams and cybersecurity ex- perts. ‘Once there is that under- standing,’ said Waqas, ‘people can work together to secure the en- vironment.’ Protective technologies While the importance of collabor- ation and partnerships in manag- ing staff awareness and cyber risks was emphasized, the experts also addressed the necessity of im- plementing protective technologies such as Microsoft Defender and similar security tools. These solutions provide much- needed visibility into IT infra- structure, allowing for earlier inter- vention to prevent threats from escalating, said O’Keeffe, who pointed out the Cyber Associates Network as an invaluable resource for problem sharing and solving. That collaboration also extends to suppliers, partners and vendors and can to greater ac- countability while leveraging their specialized expertise to enhance cybersecurity measures. lead Offering an external perspective, Daniel O’Shaughnessy, Head of Programme Delivery for Digital Care Hub, observed that organi- sations often cite limited resources as a barrier to addressing cy- bersecurity issues. ‘It is often siloed solutions but the same threat ac- tors are targeting the same groups in the same way, so there are econ- omies of scale here to share across the system of when and where it is happening.’ While concerns regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI) were discussed, panellists characterized it as an „emerging technology“ that should be approached similarly to other innovations like smartphones or social media, noting that AI is also being deployed defensively in cy- bersecurity applications. ■ Author: Mark Nicholls Catherine O‘Keeffe is the Deputy Director of Cyber Operations (De- livery) & Head of the Cyber Profes- sion within the Cyber Operations Team at NHS England and has a wealth of experience in clinical prac- tice, IT, Information Governance and Cyber Security, having worked in the NHS for over 35 years. Daniel O’Shaughnessy is the Head of Programme Delivery for Digital Care Hub‘s Better Security, Better Care Programme – a nationwide pro- gramme that supports the Adult So- cial Care sector with data protection and cyber security. Nasser Arif is Cyber Security Man- ager with London North West Univer- sity Healthcare NHS Trust and Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a cyber security profes- sional with an interest in trans- formation, wellbeing and the human element of cyber security. Mohammad Waqas is CTO Health- care at Armis with an interest in cyber security and IT/Digital Leader- ship. Daniel Hallen is the Director of Data & Digital (CIO) at East Lancashire Hospitals, and with a background in digital programme leadership and transformation, has worked in the NHS, local government, and the pri- vate sector. NEWS ∙ REPORTS ∙ INTERVIEWS ∙ VIDEOS ∙ SOCIAL MEDIA K e p u p - - d a e n h e l a e s n e w s f r m h s p i a l - r e l a e d f i e l d s ! a l Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter and conveniently receive selected medical articles and background information. For more information, visit healthcare-in-europe.com