Quantum computing could bring the next technology “revolution” in healthcare, but organizations will face critical cybersecurity issues and other concerns when quantum becomes a reality, said attorney Lee Kim, senior principal of cybersecurity and privacy at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.
“Quantum computing will be here definitely in three to five years. Right now they’re working on error correction and ensuring the communications are sufficient and reliable … and trustworthy,” she said.
The potential for super powerful quantum computing to help advance medical breakthroughs is encouraging, she said. “When we think about cancer and diseases that plague people – some chronically ill people or patients with rare conditions … I think that brings hope to a lot more people – and saving lives,” she said.
But once quantum computing becomes available for healthcare-related use, organizations must be aware of the potential cybersecurity risks, such as the predicted ability to break current encryption algorithms, she said during the HIMSS 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In this audio interview with Information Security Media Group (see audio link below photo), Kim also discussed:
- Why artificial intelligence in healthcare is still the “Wild, Wild West;”
- Key findings from HIMSS’ just released 2024 HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Survey of 273 healthcare cybersecurity professionals, including ransomware trends;
- Why cybersecurity budgets are shifting slightly upward at many healthcare entities, and what organizations are spending their money on;
- The promise of other advancing technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and wearable devices in healthcare;
- Top regulatory and legislative issues involving healthcare sector cybersecurity.
Kim, senior principal of cybersecurity and privacy at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, has served as a team leader of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s analytic exchange program and as a member of the National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center National Visiting Committee. Before joining HIMSS, she practiced law in the areas of IT, healthcare technology, intellectual property and privacy and security. She also previously worked in the healthcare technology field.