Microsoft and Google are teaming up to offer free or discounted cybersecurity services to rural hospitals in the United States. This initiative, launched in collaboration with the White House and the American Hospital Association (AHA), aims to help rural hospitals strengthen their cybersecurity measures and prevent cyberattacks.
The AHA has been instrumental in advising the White House, Microsoft, and Google on the cybersecurity challenges faced by hospitals and health systems. Over the past few months, the AHA has worked closely with these organizations to identify valuable and impactful services and solutions that can aid hospitals in enhancing their cybersecurity efforts.
As part of this program, Microsoft will offer nonprofit pricing and discounts of up to 75% on its security products optimized for independent critical access hospitals and rural emergency hospitals. Larger rural hospitals already using eligible Microsoft solutions will receive the company’s most advanced security suite at no cost for one year. Additionally, Microsoft will provide Windows 10 security updates to participating rural hospitals for at least one year at no additional cost, and will conduct free cybersecurity assessments and offer cybersecurity training to staff in rural hospitals.
The Microsoft Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals is immediately available. More information and registration for the program can be found here.
Google, on the other hand, will provide free endpoint security advice to rural hospitals and non-profit organizations, as well as funding to support software migration. Google also plans to launch a pilot program working with rural hospitals to develop a package of security capabilities tailored to their unique needs.
For further inquiries, please reach out to John Riggi, AHA national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, at jriggi@aha.org.
