The following is a guest article by DJ Oreb, President of Managed Services at DMI
When a health emergency strikes, every second matters. Increasingly, those seconds aren’t measured in hospital corridors; they’re measured through mobile devices, telehealth platforms, and connected sensors delivering care in real time.
Telehealth has evolved from a niche convenience to a cornerstone of modern medicine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, adoption soared from 14% to more than 66% in just four years, and it remains high. Patients see the value: reduced travel, lower costs, and faster access to care.
Meanwhile, connected medical devices, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), are redefining treatment. Wearable monitors, smart pill dispensers, and remote sensors allow providers to intervene earlier and tailor care to individuals. McKinsey estimates IoMT could create $1.8 trillion in economic value by 2030, powered by millions of devices streaming data every second.
But the rapid rise of mobility also brings risk. Each new connection is not only a tool for better care, it’s a new entry point for cybercriminals.
The Double-Edged Sword of Connectivity
Healthcare is under siege. Data breaches and ransomware attacks have surged in recent years, making the industry one of the most targeted by cybercriminals. The reason is clear: many providers still rely on outdated security strategies never designed for today’s volume of mobile devices and connected endpoints.
The irony is striking. The very tools enabling faster diagnoses, better patient engagement, and improved outcomes can quickly become liabilities if they’re not properly managed and secured. A single unprotected endpoint, whether it’s a doctor’s tablet or a patient’s wearable, can expose sensitive medical records, personally identifiable data, or even critical care systems.
To keep pace, healthcare must treat endpoint security as the new frontline of patient safety.
The New Cybersecurity Frontier: Endpoint Security
Protecting modern healthcare IT requires securing every endpoint across its lifecycle, from deployment to decommissioning. This means more than firewalls and antivirus; it requires embedding security into every step of how devices are configured, managed, and monitored.
Key safeguards include:
- Encryption and multi-factor authentication to protect sensitive records
- Access controls that ensure only the right people access the right data
- Real-time monitoring and automated updates that patch vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them
Just as important is visibility. Blind spots open the door to breaches, compliance violations, and operational disruption. As security leaders often say: ‘You can’t protect what you can’t see.’ Full visibility into every endpoint is no longer optional; it’s essential.
From Complexity to Clarity: Centralized Endpoint Management
For many organizations, the real challenge isn’t intent, it’s complexity. With thousands of mobile devices and connected sensors, managing them manually or across siloed systems is unsustainable.
The answer is centralization. A cloud-based endpoint management platform consolidates oversight into a single pane of glass, giving IT teams clarity and control.
This unified approach delivers:
- Security at Scale: Configure, deploy, and protect all devices from one platform
- Rapid Response: Lock, wipe, or track devices showing suspicious activity
- Smarter Operations: Use analytics on performance and usage to guide investments and staffing
The payoff is twofold: stronger security and more efficient operations. Endpoint management shifts from a defensive necessity to a strategic advantage.
The Future is Mobile, and It Must Be Secure
The trajectory is clear. Healthcare will continue to lean on mobility: more telehealth visits, more wearables, more connected devices. The question isn’t whether healthcare will be mobile. It already is. The question is whether it will be secure.
Patient trust today depends not only on compassionate care and accurate diagnoses, but on the confidence that their information is safe. That means healthcare leaders must move beyond patchwork defenses and adopt unified endpoint management strategies that scale.
With centralized visibility, automated safeguards, and integrated management tools, providers can empower clinicians while protecting infrastructure. Devices become assets, not vulnerabilities. Mobility becomes an advantage, not a liability.
The mobile surge isn’t slowing down. The responsibility, and the opportunity, for healthcare leaders is to ensure it drives progress, not risk.
About DJ Oreb
As President of Managed Services at DMI, DJ leads the Managed Services group, overseeing its operations, growth, and strategic market positioning. With extensive expertise in procurement, telecom expense management, and IT operations, DJ has successfully built high-performing, results-driven programs that enhance operational efficiency and business growth. His expertise in mobile lifecycle management, telecom expense management, IT operations, and vendor strategy enables him to build programs that empower enterprises to optimize and scale their IT Managed Services.
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