With growing pressure from climate events, cyber threats, and system strain, the 9th Annual Emergency Preparedness in Healthcare Conference brought together leaders from across Canada to rethink how we plan, respond, and recover.
Sessions offered grounded, experience-based insights on what works when things go unpredictable. From tabletop exercises to board-level accountability, we sparked genuine conversations and shared strategies that teams can implement immediately.
Here are key insights from two sessions that our attendees loved.
Cyber Resilience in Action: Inside Trillium’s Incident Response & Zero Trust Strategy
The Trillium Health Partners team offered a behind-the-scenes look at how their organization is evolving cybersecurity and incident response, well beyond IT.
Real-time learning through live tabletops
Trillium runs unscripted tabletop exercises, with no advance notice, to stress-test their teams. These drills create space for reflection and continuous improvement. “After each one, we take what we’ve learned and apply it to technical systems and workflows,” the speaker shared. It’s not just practice, it’s process maturity.
Passwordless future. Passphrases now
They’re moving toward passwordless login using Windows Hello facial recognition and strong passphrases instead of traditional passwords. All passwords are screened against breach databases.
Photo of Katie Subbotina, Haajra Khan, and Skerdi Cerga of Trillium Health Partners
Internal threats: the growing focus
While external attacks dominate headlines, internal risks like shared credentials or unvetted devices are rising. Trillium implemented 802.1X (network access control) and Cisco ISE profiling to restrict device-level access. Only authorized equipment and profiles (e.g., a nurse, pump, or vendor) can connect. Unknown devices are blocked automatically.
Tight control on privileged access
Trillium is pioneering advanced privileged identity management with Microsoft. This requires multi-step authentication, device proximity checks, QR scanning, and approval workflows via Teams before anyone can access sensitive systems.
“No one has standing elevated access. Zero trust is the default.”
What Healthcare Teams Can Take Away
- Cyber events are operational events, response requires tech, legal, clinical, and communication teams at the table.
- Don’t wait for perfect funding; start with risk-based access controls and realistic tabletop scenarios.
- Patient care remains the priority; IT, legal, and ops must align behind a single goal: keep care running safely.
“Whatever the breach, ransomware, insider threat, or device failure, the response must protect continuity. The hospital must keep running.” – Trillium Health Partners
The Board’s Role in Emergency Preparedness: Risks, Responsibilities, and Real Action
Photo of Natalie Farshait, Director, Healthcare Safety & Risk Management, HIROC
Natalie Farshait, Director of Healthcare Safety and Risk Management at HIROC and President of the Ontario Safety Agency, delivered a compelling call to action: healthcare boards must move from passive oversight to proactive governance in emergency preparedness.
From global risks to local impact
Using data from the World Economic Forum, Allianz, and HIROC’s risk reports, Farshait outlined a landscape where cyber threats, climate events, aging infrastructure, and health human resource challenges are converging. She emphasized that even well-prepared organizations are vulnerable without strong board engagement.
What boards should be doing now
Natalie laid out practical strategies for board members—especially those without healthcare backgrounds—to understand and fulfill their responsibilities:
- Insist on clear, up-to-date emergency and continuity plans
- Ask about unaddressed risks and past learnings
- Participate in tabletop simulations to build confidence before a crisis hits
- Integrate emergency readiness into standing governance agendas
It’s not just compliance, it’s culture
Emergency planning reflects an organization’s risk culture. Natalie reminded attendees that boards have a fiduciary and ethical obligation to safeguard patients, staff, and public trust. Tools like simplified top-risk snapshots, targeted drills, and pre-designated spokespersons can make all the difference when seconds count.
“Well-informed boards make better decisions, especially in emergencies.” – Natalie Farshait, HIROC
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