HHS’s DIGIHEALS initiative calls for proposals to bolster digital health tech security, improve healthcare analytics, and enhance software development. Through the adaptation of defense innovations, it aims to fortify civilian healthcare against cyber threats. Three key areas of focus include enhancing technology security, innovative data and analytics approaches, and swift, secure tech development. Applicants must demonstrate feasibility, alignment with ARPA-H’s mission, and a history of success. The initiative responds to urgent cybersecurity needs in healthcare while promoting technological advancement.
The U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) office of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health has introduced a Request for Proposals (RFP) aimed at enhancing the security of digital health infrastructure. The RFP outlines the possibility of multiple awards for proposals that strengthen the security of digital health technology, enhance healthcare analytics, and bolster healthcare software development. This initiative falls under the “Scaling Health Applications Research for Everyone” program and is designed to adapt innovations from the Department of Defense and related government agencies to revolutionize civilian healthcare.
The central objective of this effort, known as the DIGIHEALS project, is to safeguard patient care in the aftermath of cyberattacks on medical facilities. Given the increasing threat posed by a diverse range of cyber actors seeking financial gains, political advantage, or disruptions to the U.S. healthcare system, HHS aims to leverage proven technologies originally developed for national security purposes. The solicitation calls for proposals that can apply these technologies to health systems, clinical care establishments, and personal health devices. The primary goal is to address the pressing need for robust cybersecurity capabilities to protect patient privacy, safety, and the integrity of healthcare services.
The RFP highlights three key areas of interest:
1. Enhancing Digital Health Technology Security: This aspect focuses on developing the capacity to identify vulnerabilities and swiftly patch legacy software in critical systems. Technologies capable of analyzing, modifying, and rectifying legacy software in binary form are sought, along with the ability to create “assured targeted micro patches” to address known security flaws in existing binaries.
2. Innovative Data and Analytics Approaches: HHS seeks novel programming methodologies to create data fitness technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. These methodologies should simplify data formats to safe, unambiguous subsets that promote interoperability and verification.
3. Swift and Secure Digital Health Technology Development: This area aims to enable software developers to enhance systems with verified code efficiently.
Applicants are expected to demonstrate their technical feasibility, the potential benefits to healthcare delivery, and alignment with ARPA-H’s mission. They must also possess a track record of success within the Department of Defense or federal government context, supported by achievements like FDA approvals and plans for prototypes that adapt existing technology to benefit healthcare populations. The deadline for applications on SAM.gov is September 7.
This move is part of a broader trend of federal funding for health technology development. Notably, past funding included a substantial amount given to Kryptowire by DARPA for smartphone-based health tracking, as well as recent DoD funding for the Defense Innovation Unit’s project to scale RATE algorithms for analyzing biometric data from wearables to predict infections.
According to Navin Natoewal of Philips, the convergence of AI and wearables has implications for remote patient monitoring and early illness detection. HHS believes that by extending security, usability, and software assurance technologies, this digital health security initiative will address vulnerabilities in health systems and contribute to the advancement of innovations in digital security.
Overall, the HHS-led DIGIHEALS project seeks to fortify digital health technology security by adapting proven technologies from national security contexts. This effort aligns with the overarching goal of ensuring the integrity and safety of patient care in the face of evolving cyber threats.
