The Human Firewall Imperative: A Narrative Review of Interprofessional Collaboration for Cybersecurity in Patient-Centric Digital Healthcare
Abstract
Background: The digitization of healthcare, while transformative, has exponentially expanded the attack surface for cyber threats. Patient-centric care models, which rely on seamless data flow across disciplines such as nursing, radiology, and family medicine, create unique vulnerabilities where clinical efficiency can conflict with security protocols. Cybersecurity is no longer a sole IT concern but a critical patient safety and care continuity issue.
Aim: This narrative review aims to analyze and synthesize evidence on collaborative frameworks that integrate frontline clinical disciplines—specifically nursing, radiology, and family medicine—with information security professionals to protect health data.
Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, CINAHL, IEEE Xplore, and Scopus databases (2010-2024) was conducted. Keywords included interdisciplinary teams, cybersecurity, health information security, nursing informatics, radiology information systems, and primary care. Empirical studies, review articles, and framework proposals were included.
Results: Successful cybersecurity is predicated on moving beyond technical silos to embrace an interprofessional stewardship model. Nurses are pivotal in access control and phishing defense; radiologists govern high-risk imaging data workflows; family physicians balance accessibility with security in shared records. Effective frameworks incorporate embedded security champions, simulation-based training, and collaborative incident response protocols that prioritize clinical needs. A recurring theme is the tension between usability and security, mitigated through co-designed workflows.
Conclusion: Protecting patient data requires reconceptualizing cybersecurity as a shared, clinical-adjacent competency. Institutional strategies must foster authentic collaboration between IT security and frontline clinicians, investing in role-specific education, joint governance structures, and workflow-integrated security tools.
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Authors
Copyright (c) 2024 Hamad Hamdan Saad Al-Qahtani, Salah Mohammed H Alshhry, Ruba Abdullah A Hadadi, Ebtehal Turqi Alotaibi, Ahmed Ali Abuazzam, Sultan Shami Ali Othaibi, Hadi Rasheed Mohammed Kumait, Abdullah Ali Abdullah Dighriri, Shaker Nayyaf Bader Alotaibi, Alabbas Ibrahim Hussian Althurwi, Atiah Abulrazaq Abdullah Mohmmed, Norah Ghalib Alrowaili, Baha Haweidi Aldosari
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