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Elisity Blog

How to Use MDS2 Data for Network Segmentation and Medical Device Security

Twenty-two percent of healthcare organizations experienced medical device cyberattacks in the past year, and 75% of those incidents directly affected patient care delivery. For Healthcare Delivery Organizations (HDOs), these statistics represent more than numbers—they represent disrupted surgeries, delayed diagnoses, and compromised patient safety.

MDS2 (Manufacturer Disclosure Statement for Medical Device Security) provides healthcare organizations with standardized cybersecurity documentation covering  23 control categories for medical devices. When integrated with identity-based  microsegmentation, MDS2 data transforms from static documentation into dynamic security policies that protect devices in 4-16 weeks without clinical disruption.

The challenge isn't a lack of security documentation. Healthcare organizations possess detailed Manufacturer Disclosure Statements for Medical Device Security (MDS2) forms for most connected medical devices. The problem is that security teams struggle to operationalize this data effectively. MDS2 forms contain critical security intelligence, but translating 240 questions across 23 control categories into actionable network segmentation policies remains a manual, time-consuming process.

"Healthcare loves to walk backwards into the future," explains Jason Elrod, Chief Information Security Officer at MultiCare Health System, a 14-hospital system serving millions of patients in Washington State. "We concentrate so much on where we were that we miss opportunities to prepare for what's coming. The technology partner you need isn't a commodity you buy once—it's something that needs to move along with you."

This guide demonstrates how to transform MDS2 documentation into dynamic, identity-based microsegmentation policies that adapt to known vulnerabilities while maintaining zero disruption to clinical workflows. Healthcare organizations are achieving comprehensive medical device security in weeks rather than the traditional 12-18 month implementation timelines.

What is MDS2 in Medical Device Security?

The Manufacturer Disclosure Statement for Medical Device Security (MDS2) is a standardized form developed by NEMA and MITA that provides healthcare organizations with detailed cybersecurity information about medical devices, covering 23 security control categories including patch management, encryption capabilities, authentication mechanisms, and network communication requirements.

The MDS2 standard emerged from a collaborative effort between the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) to address a critical gap in medical device procurement and risk management. When healthcare organizations acquire new medical devices or assess existing inventory, they need consistent, comparable security information to make informed decisions.

Each MDS2 form contains approximately 240 questions organized into 23 distinct security control groups. These categories align with established cybersecurity frameworks including NIST and the HHS 405(d) Healthcare and Public Health Sector Cybersecurity Framework. The comprehensive nature of MDS2 documentation covers essential security domains such as:

  • Automatic logoff capabilities and session management controls
  • Authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication support
  • Authorization and access control frameworks
  • Audit logging and security event monitoring
  • Data encryption for data at rest and in transit
  • Malware detection and prevention capabilities
  • Network configuration requirements and restrictions
  • Patch management processes and timelines
  • Physical security controls and tamper detection
  • Security incident response procedures
  • Software and firmware update mechanisms
  • System backup and recovery capabilities
  • Third-party software dependencies and risks
  • Vulnerability disclosure and remediation timelines

However, the comprehensive nature of MDS2 forms creates a significant challenge. While the documentation provides extensive security details, it doesn't automatically translate into network security policies or segmentation strategies. Security teams face the daunting task of manually reviewing hundreds of MDS2 forms, identifying common vulnerabilities, prioritizing risks based on clinical impact, and then translating those findings into firewall rules, VLAN configurations, or network access control policies.

Modern microsegmentation solutions integrate with platforms like Armis and Claroty that automatically ingest and correlate MDS2 data across entire device populations. These integrations enable HDOs to leverage MDS2 intelligence at scale, matching device profiles with manufacturer security capabilities to inform automated policy decisions. When combined with identity-based microsegmentation platforms like Elisity, MDS2 data becomes the foundation for dynamic security policies that adapt to device capabilities and known vulnerabilities without manual intervention.

Common Vulnerabilities Revealed by MDS2 Assessments

MDS2 assessments consistently reveal four critical vulnerability categories across healthcare networks: unpatched medical devices running outdated firmware, unencrypted protected health information (PHI) transmission, legacy operating systems beyond manufacturer support, and default or weak authentication credentials that create immediate security risks.

When healthcare organizations conduct comprehensive MDS2 reviews across their medical device inventory, patterns emerge that highlight systemic security challenges. These vulnerabilities aren't theoretical—they represent active attack vectors that threat actors target in healthcare environments.

Unpatched Devices and Firmware Vulnerabilities: MDS2 forms document manufacturer patch schedules and supported update mechanisms. Analysis frequently reveals devices operating with firmware versions multiple generations behind current releases. The 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack exploited exactly this vulnerability, spreading rapidly through healthcare networks and crippling organizations that couldn't patch legacy medical devices running Windows XP embedded systems.

More recently, the 2025 Contec and Epsimed patient monitor vulnerabilities demonstrated how quickly known exploits propagate. These critical vulnerabilities affected thousands of patient monitors across hundreds of healthcare facilities, creating immediate risk to patient safety and data integrity. MDS2 documentation revealed which specific monitor models and firmware versions were vulnerable, enabling rapid identification of affected devices.

Legacy Operating Systems Beyond Support: According to security research, 53% of medical devices have known vulnerabilities that remain actively exploited. (Cynerio 2022 State of Healthcare IoT Device Security Report)  Many of these vulnerabilities exist because devices operate on legacy operating systems that no longer receive security updates from Microsoft, Linux distributors, or other OS vendors.

MDS2 forms clearly document the underlying operating system and support lifecycle. This information enables security teams to identify which devices operate on unsupported platforms and require compensating controls. Paul Haywood, leading healthcare security at BUPA, describes the challenge: "We recognized that some of our medical devices were unsupported, and some would require significant investment to replace. But we needed to put a level of protection around them."

Unencrypted PHI and Network Communication: MDS2 assessments reveal which devices transmit protected health information without encryption. Clinical imaging systems, laboratory information systems, and patient monitoring devices frequently communicate across networks using unencrypted protocols. This creates compliance risks under HIPAA regulations and exposes sensitive patient data to interception.

The network communication section of MDS2 forms documents required ports, protocols, and encryption capabilities. Security teams can use this intelligence to identify devices that require network-level encryption through VPN tunnels, microsegmentation least privilege access policies, or other compensating controls when device-native encryption isn't available.

Default Credentials and Weak Authentication: Medical devices often ship with default administrative credentials that clinical engineering teams don't change during deployment. MDS2 forms document authentication capabilities, but they also highlight limitations. Many legacy devices don't support modern authentication mechanisms like multi-factor authentication or integration with enterprise identity management systems.

These vulnerability patterns inform prioritization frameworks. Not all vulnerabilities carry equal risk. An unpatched infusion pump in a critical care unit poses different clinical risk than a vulnerable digital signage display in a waiting room. MDS2 data, when combined with device location information and clinical context from platforms like Armis and Claroty, enables risk-based prioritization that focuses remediation efforts where they matter most for patient safety.

From MDS2 Data to Network Segmentation Strategy

Network segmentation prevents lateral movement of malware and contains ransomware attacks by creating security boundaries between different device types, clinical workflows, and trust zones. The proposed HIPAA 2025 regulations explicitly mandate network segmentation as a required security control, making this transition from optional best practice to regulatory requirement for covered entities.

Healthcare networks weren't designed with security boundaries in mind. Most HDOs operated flat network architectures where every device could communicate with every other device. This approach maximized convenience and simplified troubleshooting but created catastrophic security risks. When ransomware infiltrates a flat network, it spreads laterally across all connected systems within hours.

Why Network Segmentation is Essential: Ransomware attacks specifically target healthcare because attackers know that patient care depends on immediate access to clinical systems. When ransomware encrypts electronic health records, imaging archives, or medication dispensing systems, HDOs face impossible choices between patient safety and ransom demands. The average cost of a healthcare data breach reached $11 million in 2023, (2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report, IBM) but the impact on patient care creates consequences that extend far beyond financial losses.

Network segmentation creates security boundaries that contain breaches. When properly implemented, segmentation policies prevent malware on an infected workstation from spreading to medical devices, and they stop compromised medical devices from accessing electronic health record systems. Paul Hayword at BUPA explains the strategic value: "By managing the ability for communication between different assets, managing your lateral risk is one of the real benefits. That's one of the things which allowed us to focus on protecting our medical devices."

The HHS 405(d) Healthcare and Public Health Sector Cybersecurity Framework specifically recommends network segmentation as a foundational security control. The framework emphasizes separating medical devices, biomedical equipment, building automation systems, and enterprise IT infrastructure into distinct security zones with controlled communication between zones.

Traditional Segmentation Challenges: Legacy segmentation approaches required 12-18 months for implementation in large healthcare systems. Jason Elrod, CISO at MultiCare describes the technical complexity: "If I said each of those strands of spaghetti needs to talk to one end of the other to just the strands it needs to, but I handed you a bowl of spaghetti and said find me which pieces are touching, which should be, and what shouldn't be—trying to work out all the interdependencies is a full-time job in itself."

Traditional VLAN-based segmentation created several critical problems:

  • Manual Policy Creation: Network engineers had to manually document every required communication flow, create corresponding firewall rules, and maintain accuracy as the environment changed. A typical hospital might accumulate 4,000+ VLANs over time, each added with good intention but creating Byzantine complexity.
  • Workflow Disruption: Implementing VLAN changes required scheduled downtime windows. In 24/7/365 healthcare environments, finding maintenance windows that don't impact patient care is nearly impossible. Taking systems offline to implement security changes creates the very patient safety risks that security is supposed to prevent.
  • Inflexibility: VLAN configurations were static. When clinical teams needed new device deployments or workflow changes, network modifications required lengthy change management processes involving multiple teams and approval chains.
  • Operational Burden: Maintaining VLAN segmentation required continuous manual effort. As devices moved between locations, firmware versions changed, or clinical workflows evolved, network policies drifted out of alignment with actual requirements.

Modern Identity-Based Microsegmentation: Identity-based microsegmentation transforms the segmentation paradigm by focusing on device and user identities rather than network location. Elisity's identity-based approach uses device attributes, user credentials, and contextual information to make dynamic policy decisions.

Instead of asking "what VLAN is this device on?" identity-based microsegmentation asks "what device is this, who is using it, what is it trying to access, and should this communication be allowed?" This approach aligns directly with Zero Trust security principles and enables policy decisions based on rich context including MDS2 security profiles.

The key advantages include:

  • Automated Policy Generation: Security policies are updated automatically based on device profiles and MDS2 requirements via integrations with Armis or Claroty rather than requiring manual firewall rule creation
  • Zero Clinical Disruption: Policy changes implement without taking systems offline or disrupting clinical workflows
  • Dynamic Adaptation: Policies adapt in real-time as device risk profiles change, new vulnerabilities emerge, or clinical requirements evolve
  • Simplified Operations: Single unified platform replaces complex VLAN management and reduces operational overhead by 60-80% compared to legacy approaches

MDS2-Informed Microsegmentation: Traditional vs. Identity-Based Approach

Approach Legacy VLAN Segmentation Identity-Based Microsegmentation
Implementation Timeline 12-36 months 4 - 16 weeks
Clinical Workflow Impact Scheduled downtime required Zero disruption
Policy Management Manual firewall rules Automated policy generation
MDS2 Integration Manual review and translation Automated ingestion and policy mapping via Armis or Claroty integratio
Change Velocity Days to weeks per change Seconds to Minutes to hours
Operational Overhead High (continuous manual effort) Low (automated operations)
Policy Accuracy Degrades over time (drift) Simultation, Reporting and continuous validation
Zero Trust Alignment Limited (network-centric) Native (identity-centric)


MDS2 Implementation Framework with Dynamic Microsegmentation

Implementing MDS2-informed microsegmentation requires five sequential steps: comprehensive device discovery paired with automated MDS2 collection, risk assessment using integrated intelligence from platforms like Armis or Claroty, automated policy generation based on device profiles and security requirements, policy simulation to validate zero impact on clinical workflows, and continuous enforcement with real-time monitoring and adaptation.

This framework represents a fundamental shift from traditional segmentation projects that required 12-36+ months to modern implementations achieving results in 4-16+ weeks. The key difference lies in automation—replacing manual processes with intelligent orchestration across integrated security platforms.

Step 1: Device Discovery and MDS2 Collection

Comprehensive visibility forms the foundation. Healthcare organizations cannot secure devices they don't know exist, and they cannot create effective security policies without understanding device capabilities and limitations documented in MDS2 forms.

Platforms like Armis and Claroty provide passive network monitoring that discovers medical devices, IT assets, and IoT systems without requiring agents or active scanning. These platforms identify devices through multiple techniques including network traffic analysis, protocol fingerprinting, and behavioral profiling. Discovery typically achieves 99% device visibility within 4 hours of deployment.

The critical capability is automatic MDS2 association. As these Cyber-Physical Systems platforms discover medical devices, they automatically match device profiles with corresponding MDS2 forms from their extensive databases. This automated matching eliminates the manual process of requesting MDS2 forms from manufacturers, tracking down documentation for legacy devices, and correlating forms with specific device instances across the network.

Armis maintains a comprehensive MDS2 directory covering thousands of medical device models across all major manufacturers. When the platform identifies an infusion pump model, for example, it automatically retrieves and associates the relevant MDS2 form, making security control information immediately available to inform policy decisions.

Step 2: Risk Assessment Using MDS2 Intelligence

With complete device visibility and associated MDS2 data, security teams can conduct comprehensive risk assessments that combine multiple intelligence sources:

  • MDS2 Security Controls: Understanding which security capabilities each device supports and which are absent
  • Known Vulnerabilities: Correlating device firmware versions with CVE databases and vendor security bulletins
  • Clinical Context: Factoring device location, FDA classification, and clinical criticality into risk calculations
  • Network Behavior: Analyzing actual communication patterns to identify anomalies or unexpected connections

Claroty's vulnerability and risk management module demonstrates this integrated approach. The platform combines passive vulnerability assessment with MDS2 intelligence to generate proprietary device risk scores based on three core metrics: likelihood of exploitation, existing compensating controls, and potential impact on clinical operations.

This risk-based approach enables prioritization. Not every vulnerability requires immediate remediation, but vulnerabilities affecting critical devices in high-risk locations demand urgent attention. MDS2 data informs which compensating controls are feasible based on device capabilities documented by manufacturers.

Step 3: Automated Policy Generation

This step represents where identity-based microsegmentation fundamentally transforms the traditional approach. Instead of network engineers manually creating firewall rules or VLAN configurations, the security platform automatically generates clinically-vetted policies based on device profiles and MDS2 requirements.

Elisity's platform combines device intelligence from Armis or Claroty with its own deep protocol analysis to understand exactly how each device needs to communicate to support clinical workflows. 

Jason Elrod at MultiCare explains the operational transformation: "The same tool, same dashboard, same team. The same thing that allows me to make connectivity work between this area and here in a frictionless fashion is also the exact same thing that provides the rationalized security around it. That's huge."

Step 4: Testing and Policy Simulation

Before enforcing any security policy in a healthcare environment, thorough testing is essential. Taking a critical medical device offline or blocking required communications could create immediate patient safety risks. Traditional segmentation projects struggled with this challenge because testing required creating parallel network infrastructure or accepting risk during pilot deployments.

Modern microsegmentation platforms provide policy simulation capabilities that test proposed policies against observed network traffic without enforcing restrictions. Elisity's simulation environment allows security teams to virtually implement policies and validate that no clinical communications would be blocked.

The simulation process typically follows this pattern:

  1. Generate proposed security policy based on device profile and risk score requirements, which MDS2 vulnerabiltiy data contribues to
  2. Run simulation against 8-91 days of observed network traffic
  3. Identify any clinical communications that proposed policy would block
  4. Refine policy rules to accommodate legitimate exceptions
  5. Re-simulate refined policy to validate zero impact
  6. Obtain approval from clinical stakeholders before enforcement

This simulation-first approach provides confidence that security policies enhance protection without disrupting patient care. Paul Haywood at BUPA emphasizes the importance: "We needed to implement this quickly, non-intrusive in terms of operationally impacting, but also effective. We demonstrated within a number of days how effective it was."

Step 5: Enforcement and Continuous Monitoring

Once policies pass simulation validation and receive stakeholder approval, enforcement begins. Identity-based microsegmentation enables enforcement without network reconfiguration. Policies activate in seconds rather than requiring scheduled maintenance windows or device reboots.

Continuous monitoring ensures policies remain effective as the environment evolves. Medical devices receive firmware updates, new vulnerabilities emerge, clinical workflows change, and device locations shift. Traditional static policies would drift out of alignment, but identity-based microsegmentation continuously validates and adapts.

When new vulnerabilities affect medical devices, platforms like Armis automatically identify impacted devices using MDS2 data and firmware version correlation. Elisity can dynamically adjust security policies to add compensating controls—for example, restricting vulnerable devices to essential communications only until patches are available and applied.

BUPA achieved remarkable implementation velocity using this framework. Paul Haywood describes their timeline: "We did a proof of concept before Christmas with a couple of people from the Elisity team and a couple from the BUPA team. We demonstrated within days how effective it was. We then did a full implementation and within less than two weeks, we installed the Elisity toolset, brought in the Medigate (Claroty) toolset which enriched the data, and made it operationally effective and productionized within two weeks."

Real-World Results from Healthcare Organizations

Healthcare organizations implementing MDS2-informed identity-based microsegmentation achieve measurable security improvements in weeks rather than months, with implementations at MultiCare Health System and BUPA demonstrating 99% device discovery in under 4 hours, comprehensive segmentation deployment in 4-16+ weeks, and zero clinical workflow disruption during implementation.

MultiCare Health System Implementation: As the largest not-for-profit, locally owned and managed healthcare system in Washington State, MultiCare operates 14 hospitals, hundreds of urgent care clinics, and serves millions of patients. The organization manages approximately 29,000 employees and faces the security challenge of protecting an attack surface that spans clinical devices, building automation systems, and enterprise IT infrastructure.

Jason Elrod, MultiCare's CISO, approached the microsegmentation challenge with healthy skepticism. "When I first heard what the value proposition was, that's what piqued my interest. But I took it at a technological level—who are these folks, what did they do before, what is their pedigree from a technology delivery capability? I needed to know: is this real?"

After validation, MultiCare achieved several critical outcomes:

  • Cultural Transformation: The implementation broke down historical friction between security and networking teams. "It changed from adversarial co-opetition to cooperation," Elrod explains. "We really are on the same team now. This is a solution that works for all of us, makes all of our jobs better. It is a force multiplier across the organization."
  • Operational Velocity: Policy changes that previously required days or weeks now happen in minutes to hours. "The speed of delivery on the back end is so much more advanced. Should we need to add, subtract, or adjust, we can do that at the speed of need as opposed to the speed of bureaucracy, the speed of legacy."
  • Clinical Confidence: Care providers gained confidence that security controls wouldn't impede patient care. "If care providers don't have to worry about access, don't have to worry about the controls, they can take the cognitive load of thinking and worrying about compliance factors off their plate and concentrate on providing amazing patient care."

BUPA Healthcare Implementation: BUPA recognized medical device protection as a key risk at their board level. They faced the challenge of unsupported devices requiring significant investment to replace, but needing immediate protection. Pau Haywood, leading their security architecture, had a clear mandate: implement quickly, minimize operational impact, and demonstrate value immediately.

BUPA's implementation followed the framework outlined earlier with remarkable results:

  • Proof of Concept (Week 1): Two people from Elisity and two from BUPA working together demonstrated effectiveness in identifying devices, understanding communication requirements, and generating policies
  • Full Implementation (Weeks 2-3): Complete Elisity deployment integrated with Medigate (Claroty) for enriched device intelligence, operational platform productionized and delivering insights
  • Resource Efficiency: Currently maintained by one operations person and one security architect, compared to initial team of four during implementation
  • Immediate Value: "In my 30 years of working in technology and security, I've never delivered a product into an environment and got instant benefit, which is what we got with the Elisity toolset," Paul states

BUPA achieved critical security outcomes that addressed their board-level risk concerns:

  • Identification of unknown assets including cameras not previously inventoried
  • Policy enforcement around medical devices to manage traffic and create defense-in-depth
  • Lateral movement prevention to contain potential ransomware attacks
  • Visibility and control extending to medical devices that were previously unmanaged

Compliance and Regulatory Alignment

The proposed HIPAA 2025 Security Rule updates explicitly require covered entities to implement network segmentation for protecting electronic protected health information (ePHI). MDS2-informed microsegmentation provides organizations with a practical, clinically-validated path to regulatory compliance while simultaneously enhancing patient safety and operational efficiency.

The regulatory landscape is consolidating around network segmentation as a mandatory security control rather than a recommended best practice. Understanding how MDS2-informed microsegmentation aligns with multiple regulatory frameworks helps healthcare organizations address compliance requirements while implementing security measures that actually work in clinical environments.

HIPAA 2025 Proposed Security Rule Updates: The proposed HIPAA Security Rule updates introduce specific technical requirements that directly align with MDS2-informed microsegmentation capabilities. The proposed rule explicitly mandates network segmentation as a required implementation specification under the Technical Safeguards section.

Key alignment points include:

  • Access Controls (164.312(a)): MDS2 documentation informs identity-based access control policies, ensuring each device accesses only the systems and data required for its clinical function
  • Network Segmentation (Proposed): Identity-based microsegmentation implements logical network segmentation without the operational disruption of traditional VLAN reconfiguration
  • Security Configuration Management: Automated policy generation based on MDS2 intelligence ensures consistent security configurations across device populations
  • Audit Controls (164.312(b)): Continuous monitoring provides comprehensive audit trails of device communications and policy enforcement actions

The proposed rule also emphasizes risk-based implementation, acknowledging that covered entities must balance security requirements with operational realities. MDS2-informed microsegmentation directly addresses this balance by enabling security controls that don't disrupt clinical workflows.

HHS 405(d) Healthcare and Public Health Sector Cybersecurity Framework: The HHS 405(d) voluntary framework provides healthcare organizations with a practical implementation guide for HIPAA Security Rule requirements. The framework explicitly recommends network segmentation as one of five core technical practices.

The framework aligns with MDS2-informed microsegmentation through several key recommendations:

  • Asset Management: Comprehensive device discovery and MDS2 association provides the asset inventory foundation that 405(d) requires
  • Risk Management: Automated vulnerability correlation with device populations enables continuous risk assessment
  • Network Segmentation: Implement logical or physical network segmentation to isolate medical devices and IoT systems. Identity-based microsegmentation provides logical segmentation without physical network reconfiguration.
  • Continuous Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring to detect anomalous behavior and unauthorized access. Platforms like Elisity continuously monitor device communications against established baselines.

FDA Cybersecurity Guidance Integration: The FDA's premarket and postmarket cybersecurity guidance documents emphasize the importance of manufacturers providing security documentation through mechanisms like MDS2. The FDA expects healthcare organizations to use this documentation when making device procurement decisions and implementing security controls.

FDA guidance recommends several practices that align with MDS2-informed microsegmentation:

  • Understanding device cybersecurity capabilities and limitations before procurement
  • Implementing defense-in-depth strategies with multiple layers of security controls
  • Monitoring device communications for anomalous behavior
  • Implementing network segmentation to contain potential breaches
  • Establishing coordinated vulnerability disclosure programs

When manufacturers discover vulnerabilities and publish security bulletins, MDS2 forms get updated to reflect changed risk profiles. Automated platforms that monitor manufacturer security portals can immediately correlate new vulnerabilities with affected device populations and adjust security policies accordingly.

Operational Best Practices: Beyond regulatory compliance, several operational practices maximize the value of MDS2-informed microsegmentation:

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Security teams, biomedical engineering, clinical engineering, and network operations should collaborate on microsegmentation implementation. 
  • Simulation Before Enforcement: Always simulate policies before enforcement to validate zero clinical impact. The cost of blocking critical medical device communications far exceeds the time invested in proper testing.
  • Continuous Validation: Treat microsegmentation as a continuous program rather than a one-time project. As devices change, workflows evolve, and new vulnerabilities emerge, policies should adapt dynamically.
  • Documentation and Audit Trails: Maintain clear documentation of policy decisions, simulation results, and enforcement timelines. This documentation supports both compliance audits and incident response.

Transform MDS2 Documentation Into Actionable Security

Medical device security doesn't have to be a choice between patient care and protection. Healthcare organizations implementing MDS2-informed identity-based microsegmentation are achieving comprehensive security in weeks while maintaining zero disruption to clinical workflows.

The path forward requires three elements: complete device visibility with automated MDS2 intelligence from platforms like Armis or Claroty, identity-based microsegmentation that generates and enforces policies dynamically using solutions like Elisity, and cross-functional collaboration that aligns security teams, clinical engineering, and network operations around shared goals.

As Jason Elrod reflects on the transformation at MultiCare: "Elisity is like a ladder out of the pit. Let's stop throwing things into the mosh pit of technology. Let's actually do things in a rational fashion. Now you can step back, see what's really happening, and correct the unneeded complexity that's in place."

The regulatory landscape is shifting—HIPAA 2025 proposed rules explicitly require network segmentation. But compliance isn't the primary driver. Patient safety is. When ransomware can't move laterally across your network, when vulnerable devices operate behind protective policies informed by their actual capabilities documented in MDS2 forms, and when clinical teams have frictionless access to the systems they need—that's when healthcare organizations truly fulfill their mission.

Your medical devices are already documented. The MDS2 forms exist. The question is whether you're operationalizing that intelligence or letting it sit in binders and file shares. Modern platforms transform static documentation into dynamic protection, enabling healthcare organizations to finally solve the medical device security challenge that's persisted for over a decade.

Take the Next Step in Medical Device Security

Ready to see how MDS2-informed microsegmentation can transform your security posture?

  • Schedule a Demo: See how Elisity's identity-based microsegmentation integrates with Armis or Claroty to operationalize MDS2 data in your environment. Request your personalized demo.
  • Discuss Your Requirements: Speak with healthcare security experts who understand the unique challenges of protecting medical devices without disrupting patient care. Schedule a consultation.
  • Download the Microsegmentation Buyer's Guide: Get the comprehensive checklist that helps you evaluate microsegmentation solutions for healthcare environments. Download the buyer's guide.

The healthcare organizations achieving security transformation started exactly where you are now—recognizing the challenge, seeking better approaches, and taking the first step toward operationalizing their MDS2 intelligence. Your journey to comprehensive medical device security with zero clinical disruption can begin today.

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