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Hospital Cyberattack Cripples Services, Diverts Ambulances
7 Apr
Summary
- Cyberattack forces Massachusetts hospital to switch to paper records.
- Ambulances are being diverted from the hospital due to the incident.
- Hospital systems are working with external partners to restore operations.
Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital in Massachusetts is currently grappling with a significant cybersecurity incident that began on Monday. The attack has rendered the hospital's electronic medical records system inoperable, compelling medical staff to adopt manual pen-and-paper methods for documentation. Internet services have also been affected.
In response, the hospital has enacted its 'downtime procedures,' leading to the diversion of ambulances to neighboring medical facilities. While emergency and in-patient care continue, scheduled chemotherapy infusions for Tuesday were canceled, and the hospital's retail pharmacies remain closed. Officials anticipate potential delays when ambulatory practices and urgent care reopen on Tuesday.
The hospital system stated it is working diligently with external partners to investigate the incident and restore normal operations swiftly. This event mirrors recent cyberattacks on healthcare institutions, including a ransomware attack on the University of Mississippi Medical Center and disruptions at medical device provider Stryker.
