Going the distance
What if you accidentally cut your finger while preparing dinner? It’s not life-threatening, but bad enough that you need stitches fast. Now picture the nearest emergency department is 30 minutes away. After a long and painful drive, you’re told you’ll wait hours—or need to drive even farther—because a cyberattack has crippled the hospital. Medical records are inaccessible, meaning staff can’t access critical information like your medical history, causing massive delays and risking incorrect treatment. Now, imagine you have a life-threatening condition, one where time isn’t on your side, and each minute could be the difference between life and death. Those are the real stakes for the people of Show Low, Arizona.
As the only major medical facility for over a hundred miles, Summit Healthcare’s ability to remain resilient and stay functional is crucial to serving the surrounding community. The closest comparable facility is approximately three hours away, so the staff must do everything possible to avoid disrupting operations. And so far, they’re succeeding. They’ve managed to continue care while fending off a staggering 170,000 cyberattacks in 2023. That translates to an average of over 465 per day. To help protect against the onslaught, Summit Healthcare joined the Microsoft Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals in June 2024, a specialized initiative for rural hospitals created in partnership with the White House and the American Hospital Association.
We have the same cyber attackers that everyone else does. We can’t be shielded just because we‘re small.
Rural hospitals serve more than 60 million Americans. In 2023, the healthcare sector reported an increase of nearly 130% in ransomware attacks, more than any other critical infrastructure sector. 1 Financially motivated cybercriminals remain a top security concern for healthcare organizations and hospitals. However, sophisticated nation-state threat actors are increasingly adopting cybercrime techniques, such as ransomware, to carry out intelligence operations and other attacks. These evolving threat intelligence trends highlight that hospital cybersecurity is critical for the communities they serve and national security. Through the Microsoft Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals, these vital facilities receive discounts on leading cybersecurity solutions, free cybersecurity assessments to evaluate risks and gaps, and free cybersecurity training for staff to help them better protect data and systems. According to Summit Healthcare’s Chief Information Officer, Jay Larson, “With our partnership with Microsoft, we get access to the most advanced cybersecurity tools in the marketplace.”
The independent hospital is the definition of “small but mighty.” Summit offers a wide range of services to meet the needs of its patients across a vast geographic area. Though the town of Show Low has only about 20,000 residents, Summit serves the entire county’s 120,000 people spread over 3,000 square miles, including significant Native American, Hispanic, and aging populations. The hospital provides medical and radiation oncology, orthopedic, plastic, and reconstructive surgery, and houses an ICU and behavioral health unit. It’s also one of the 43% of rural hospitals that still offer labor and delivery services 2 —a critical resource, especially with nearly two million people at risk of pregnancy-related complications due to maternity care deserts in rural areas. 3 Summit performs over 800 deliveries a year.
Diane Murphy, a lifelong resident of Show Low, knows just how vital Summit has been to her family. “I’ve been coming to Summit as a patient since 1983. Both of my children were born here, and now my grandchildren are being born here too,” she explains. “Summit has always been a great place to get care, and we’re very blessed to have it in our community.”
Part of that [high risk] is the long distance between access to health care sites.
Summit Healthcare sits at the heart of the 3,000 square mile Navajo County. Over 72% of county residents travel more than 40 miles to receive healthcare.
Ripple effects
Summit Healthcare is actively investing in cutting-edge technology to strengthen its services and meet the evolving needs of its community. From enhanced telemedicine capabilities that expand access to remote patients to updated cybersecurity systems that protect critical health data, these advancements ensure Summit can provide high-quality, secure care for years to come. As healthcare technology continues to advance, Summit’s commitment to adopting these innovations supports its role as a vital healthcare provider in this rural region, ready to adapt to future challenges.
Patients depend on Summit Healthcare to safeguard against cyberthreats, not only to protect their sensitive information but to ensure uninterrupted care—essential in a community with few, if any, alternatives for nearby medical services.
A cyberattack could shut down our imaging services. It could shut down ORs. Everything is tied to these systems; it really could bring the hospital to a complete standstill.
Beyond healthcare
Just as Summit hosts community events on health topics like cardiology, it regularly opens its doors for educational symposiums to share advancements and knowledge with the public.
And just as they’re eager to educate the community on ways to maintain a healthy body, they’re also extending that education to the digital realm. Since 82% of data breaches 4 involve a human element, including phishing enabled through social engineering, Summit is focusing on the human aspect of cyber vulnerabilities. Cyberattackers use social engineering to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information. The bad actor psychologically manipulates their victims to gain their confidence and trust to obtain large sums of money from them.
These cyberthreats don’t just target hospital systems—they also prey on vulnerable individuals in the community. Summit’s CIO, Jay Larson, witnessed this deception firsthand. At a local gas station, he saw an older woman on the phone with a scammer, being instructed to deposit large sums of money into a crypto coin machine. Afraid, the woman followed the caller’s demands, feeding hundreds of dollars into the machine. Recognizing her fear, Jay stepped in and tried to convince her that she didn’t need to comply with the scammer’s instructions.
At that moment, Jay knew that vulnerable people within the community needed an education on these life-altering scams. So, he went to Summit CEO, Dr. Jeff Comer, with a pitch for a cybersecurity-based community event to educate the community on how to avoid phishing and other cyber threats.
Digital lifelines
Microsoft’s AI-powered security technology is helping Summit protect both patient data and the ability to deliver top-notch care without interruption. These tools detect potential cyber threats quickly, allowing IT staff to focus on other critical tasks and reducing burnout. Through this partnership, Summit has also received resources like Azure cloud services and other technologies to help them adapt to the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.
Today, AI-powered tools are already revolutionizing healthcare in many hospitals, including those in rural communities. These tools assist doctors by taking notes, analyzing medical data, and offering insights that enable faster, more accurate decision-making. At the same time, tools that connect physicians with specialists in real time are breaking down geographic barriers. These innovations are helping rural hospitals ensure that healthcare is more accessible and responsive.
Microsoft began providing cybersecurity support to Summit Healthcare in June 2024, and is committed to providing cyber security solutions to all rural hospitals in the United States.
References
- National Counterintelligence and Security Center. Ransomware Attacks Surge in 2023. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, August 2023. Available at: https://www.dni.gov/files/CTIIC/documents/products/Ransomware_Attacks_Surge_in_2023.pdf.
- Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health. “57% of Rural Hospitals Lack Maternity Care: 19 States with the Biggest Gaps.” Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, 2024. Available at: https://www.porh.psu.edu/57-of-rural-hospitals-lack-maternity-care-19-states-with-the-biggest-gaps/
- Griggs, Amie. “Maternity Care Deserts and Birthing People.” National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 2021. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11080172/#:~=While%20birthing%20people%20living%20in,travel%20distance%20(25.0%20miles)
- IT Governance. “51 Must-Know Phishing Statistics for 2023.” IT Governance, 2023. Available at: https://www.itgovernance.co.uk/blog/51-must-know-phishing-statistics-for-2023
