Security during mergers, acquisitions, and rapid growth is often overlooked, yet it’s one of the most vulnerable times for healthcare organizations. If I could share one tip, it would be to build a security playbook before the deal, not after. This has the potential to prevent costly breaches, reputational damage, and compliance failures.
Too many organizations believe that security is something that can be considered post-acquisition. However, I’ve seen inherited systems riddled with unpatched vulnerabilities, dormant admin accounts, and shadow IT that was not considered during the due diligence process. Without a pre-planned approach, healthcare organizations are exposed to inherited risks and dangerous blind spots. If a plan is in place beforehand, you will gain visibility and control before inheriting the security risks.
My recommendation is to treat security as a core pillar of M&A strategy. Start with a risk analysis of the target’s systems and ensure remediation plans are included as a part of integration plans. In short, if you remember nothing else, please remember that security should not just be an add-on during growth. Having a plan in place before the acquisition could be the difference between inheriting risk and enabling a smooth, secure transition.
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