My Role
I am a consultant who focuses on cybersecurity in healthcare settings. I provide guidance and feedback on areas such as security governance in healthcare and the cybersecurity of medical devices. Client interactions can be phone, video and on-site. Healthcare is a critical sector, and any issues with the ability to treat patients could be catastrophic. By focusing on cybersecurity in healthcare, I can help decrease the risks of an incident that could harm someone.
My Story
I started my career in a hospital in 1976 as an orderly on a surgical floor and have been working in different aspects of healthcare ever since. I put myself through college, working as an EMT in the local emergency room and on ambulances. After I graduated with a degree in nursing, I spent time as a critical care nurse, an emergency room nurse, and teaching pre-hospital care and emergency care nursing. I then made a jump to management and became a director of critical care at PeaceHealth in Bellingham, WA. During this time, the hospital system decided to implement an enterprise medical record, so it was at this time in the mid-‘90s that I moved to the project to do implementations. I traveled from Ketchikan, Alaska, to the coast of Oregon, doing implementations at hospital and clinic implementation. After my experience with the EMR, I moved to a full time IT position supporting the systems and working with the vendor on new products and enhancements. I was then hired at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, to assist with an EMR implementation. While at Mayo, I Implemented an EMR, lead a project management office, was a Director in IT and a Director in Security. I “semi-retired” in July of 2019 and have been working as a consultant with MedSec and IANS.
My Philosophy
My mantra is “Visibility, Transparency, Moral High Ground.” It means that people should know what you are doing, should know any problems or issues, and taking actions / making decisions that are based on a standard of goodness and based on your morals. I have just seen too many problems where work goes “underground” and basing decisions on personal preferences or what is easy vs. what is right.
My Qualifications
Bachelors of Science in Nursing, Masters in Education – Professional Development, Graduate Certificate in Information Technology, CISSP.