A cyberattack on the Ascension health system operating in 19 states across the U.S. forced some of its 140 hospitals to divert ambulances, cause patients to postpone medical tests, and blocked online access to patient records. The incident was detected Wednesday when Ascension noticed unusual activity on its computer network systems. Although officials did not confirm whether it was a ransomware attack or if a ransom was paid, the suspected ransomware attack led Ascension to call in Mandiant, a Google cybersecurity unit specializing in responding to such attacks. Earlier this year, a cyberattack on Change Healthcare disrupted care systems nationwide, with the parent company UnitedHealth Group acknowledging a ransom payment of $22 million in bitcoin.
Both the electronic records system and the MyChart system, which allows patients to access their records and communicate with doctors, were offline due to the cybersecurity incident. To prevent further spread of ransomware, hospital IT officials typically take systems offline. Ascension reported that ambulances were diverted from several hospitals, impacting emergency medical services in Wichita, Kansas, and Pensacola, Florida. Patients at Ascension hospitals were reported to be missing CT scans and mammograms and facing challenges in refilling prescriptions. With electronic systems down, providers had to resort to paper records, slowing down patient care processes.
Union leaders noted that staff and service cutbacks have made the situation even tougher for hospital staff. Ascension providers have received little information on the details of the attack or when operations might get back to normal. The system advised patients to bring notes on their symptoms and prescription information to appointments as they expected to use downtime procedures for some time. Cybersecurity experts highlighted the increasing prevalence of ransomware attacks in the healthcare sector, with gangs stealing data before activating malware that paralyzes networks to extort payments. Ascension said they were working around the clock to investigate and restore systems.
The attack against Change Healthcare earlier in the year caused delays in insurance reimbursements and added stress to doctor’s offices using their technology. It remains unclear if the same group was responsible for both attacks. While Change Healthcare’s core systems were back online, identifying and notifying affected individuals may take several months. UnitedHealth repels an attempted intrusion every 70 seconds, indicating the ongoing threat of cyberattacks. A previous ransomware attack in November led the Ardent Health Services system to divert patients and postpone elective procedures across its facilities. It is crucial for healthcare providers to stay vigilant and take appropriate measures to protect patient data and maintain operations amidst increasing cyber threats.
