Ascension confirmed Saturday that the May 8 cybersecurity incident was a ransomware attack. But the 19-state health system said it is making progress updating the system. It provided separate updates for facilities in each state and the District of Columbia.
Meanwhile, some patients are expressing frustration about not having access to care – and nurses are also fielding patient calls with few answers.
Concerns that protected data may have been breached in the attack were also expressed in three class action lawsuits filed this week.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Ascension reports on its website that emergency rooms remain open, urgent care centers are operating, and patients with upcoming surgeries should plan to arrive as planned, unless further notice is given. other.
“Due to the transition to a manual system for capturing patient records, patients may experience longer than normal waits and some delays,” Ascension said in its cybersecurity event update. ”.
The health system is asking patients to bring notes of symptoms — such as a printout of a summary of previous visits — and a list of current medications, “including prescription numbers or number of vials”.
In some states, only certain Ascension Rx retail pharmacies are open or operating normally, such as in Alabama. In other places, health system retail pharmacies cannot fill prescriptions at this time, such as Florida, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
While operations continue – although waiting times are expected to be longer – patients and nurses are said to be feeling frustrated.
Delays in test and imaging results and incessant calls from patients are just some of the challenges an emergency room nurse told FOX6 Milwaukee on Tuesday that staff in Wisconsin are facing. face.
Connie Smith, president of the Wisconsin Nurses Federation and an Ascension employee, told the local news outlet that manual processes and lack of access to patient records are particularly challenging in health care services. Outpatient care and radiology.
Chief sales officer at TJ Jesky’s Chicago Office, Mark F. DeStefano, confirmed lawsuits have been filed on behalf of Ascension patients against the health system in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois , the Western District of Texas and the Eastern District of Missouri for potential HIPAA violations. There are no statements available at this time.
THE TREND IS GREATER
After the Center for Healthcare Information Sharing and Analysis warned hospitals about the Russian-backed Black Basta ransomware group, the American Hospital Association sent out a cybersecurity advisory with technical mitigation recommendations. advising its members about this variant, Ascension confirmed the cybersecurity incident was the result of a ransomware attack on May 11
ON PROFILE
“Ascension, with the support of leading cybersecurity experts, has been working around the clock to respond to the incident,” an Ascension spokesperson said in the health system’s latest update Monday. ransomware incident affecting our systems.” “We are focused on safely restoring the system. We are making progress, however, it will take time to return to normal operations.”
Andrea Fox is a senior editor at Healthcare IT News.
Email: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.
