As Tech Evolves, Cyber Must be part of Every Conversation: ProCare Executive
Kirti Desai, General Manager for Digital, Data and Technology at New Zealand healthcare provider ProCare Group, shares the risks of emerging technologies in the healthcare sector
Originally from the UK, Kirti Desai has more than 20 years of experience in product development, marketing, digital transformation, data, technology, cybersecurity, strategy, and fraud. Her experience spans across financial services, payments, real estate, and health care.
“Over the last eight years I have focused on driving digital transformation of organisations to create new and improved experiences for the end customer” Desai says.
“Cybersecurity has been a core part of the governance and processes across the organisation for delivering safe, secure digital solutions.”
“As technology has evolved, the importance of cybersecurity has become part of every conversation, and my focus is to embed it into the way we work so that everyone understands their role with keeping the organisation and its customers, staff and partners data and information safe and secure.”
Coping with Tech Advancement in Healthcare
Safeguarding data and systems are critical, particularly with the advancement in AI and generative language models progressing at an exponential rate. This is a very real threat for all businesses, not just in healthcare.
“I think healthcare in New Zealand needs more investment in the core technology infrastructure to enable the sector to overcome the challenges of legacy systems and dispersed data”, Desai says.
“At ProCare we have policies for AI and generative language models and are consistently investing in cybersecurity.”
Technology is evolving so fast and, for Desai, trying to ensure everyone is keeping up and understands what she needs to do and why is always a challenge.
“In the last few years balancing the increase in costs in technology as a whole has been a challenge” Desai says.
The Power of Communication
When it comes to getting senior buy-in for Desai’s projects, having a clear strategy for the next two or three years based on a clear roadmap has been a successful approach in gaining support and buy in.
“The strategy focuses on de-risking the business, growth and creating new customer experiences, communication is key to the success of the programmes of work and bringing everyone on the journey.”
“Having people across the business champion the change and understand why it’s important and what value it will bring to our customers and partners,” Desai says.
Communication is also key for organisations and individuals when they are trying to protect themselves against cybercrime. With the increase and sophistication of phishing and digital scams through mobiles and social media, detecting what is fake and potentially harmful is becoming one of the hardest areas.
“Ongoing education, training, awareness of these activities as well as robust security defences and monitoring are some of the ways companies and individuals can protect themselves”, Desai says.
Kirti Desai will be sitting on a panel discussion on how to effective collaboration between the board, CEOs and CISOs at CISO Auckland 2023, taking place on 21 & 22 November at Hilton Hotel.
Don’t miss your chance to attend CISO Auckland this November. Register to attend today!
