This has made it difficult for hospitals to access patient records and communicate with each other.
 |
| Cyber Attack in the USA hospitals causes interrupt in emergency patient cares. Image: Unsplas |
NASHVILLE, Tenn.:
A cyberattack on Ardent Health Services is forcing roughly a dozen of its hospitals to divert patients away from emergency rooms. Critical care has been impacted in at least three states: Oklahoma, Idaho, and New Mexico.
The attack, which was first detected on Thanksgiving Day, has caused widespread disruptions to Ardent's IT systems. The company has taken its network offline in an effort to contain the attack.
As a result, some hospitals are being forced to divert ambulances to other facilities. This is causing delays in care for patients in need of emergency treatment.
In some cases, critical care has also been impacted. For example, a hospital in Amarillo, Texas, is reportedly unable to provide chemotherapy treatments to cancer patients.
Ardent Health Services is working with cybersecurity experts to resolve the attack. However, it is unclear when the company's IT systems will be fully restored.
The cyberattack on Ardent Health Services is a reminder of the growing threat of cyberattacks to the healthcare industry. In recent years, there has been a surge in ransomware attacks on hospitals and other healthcare providers. These attacks can have a devastating impact on patients and healthcare providers alike.
Ardent Health Services is not the first healthcare provider to be hit by a cyberattack this year. In February, a cyberattack on a network of Florida healthcare organizations forced some emergency patients to be sent to other facilities and canceled some non-emergency surgeries.
The healthcare industry is a prime target for cyberattacks because of the valuable data that is stored on its systems. This data includes patient records, financial information, and intellectual property. Cybercriminals can use this data to extort money from healthcare providers or to sell it on the dark web.
Healthcare providers need to take steps to protect themselves from cyberattacks. This includes implementing strong cybersecurity measures, educating employees about cyber threats, and having a plan in place for responding to cyberattacks.