Healthcare leaders must rethink training amid surging threats—over 1,000 breaches occur annually, often from human error. A novel approach is to mandate in-person onboarding for new hires, even if your organization favors remote models post-COVID. Cyber risks can cripple operations faster than any other threat, demanding an exception for immersive, foundational education.  

Research supports this. A 2025 University of Chicago study highlights gaps in common online training and advocates complementary methods for better retention. In-person sessions foster interactions and immediate feedback and have been proven more effective for complex topics, per a systematic review of 142 studies, where overall training boosts behaviors. For healthcare, this builds vigilance in high-stakes environments like EHR management.  

Pair it with gamified annual refreshers for sustained engagement. A 2025 study on gamification in healthcare cybersecurity shows it enhances awareness via interactive scenarios, reducing phishing susceptibility. Beaumont Health’s gamified program transformed dull sessions into quizzes and real-world simulations, improving comprehension by up to 75% in similar initiatives. SANS-IDC research quantifies value: Trained teams detect threats 4.2x faster, yielding $3.57M organizational savings.  

In practice suggestions, host in-person workshops with role-playing phishing drills, followed by app-based games, tracking progress. This blended model—intensive start, fun upkeep—fortifies human firewalls, safeguarding patients and infrastructure.