In recent news, the Ascension health care network has announced that its clinical operations have been disrupted by a cyberattack. The nonprofit and Catholic health system, which operates 14 hospitals in the Chicago area, has responded immediately to the attack and implemented procedures to ensure patient care delivery remains safe.
The Ascension system has been advised to temporarily suspend their connection to business partners as Mandiant Solutions investigates the cyberattack. The healthcare provider has also notified authorities and is working with the cybersecurity firm to assess the impact of the disruption and determine what information may have been affected.
If any sensitive information was compromised during the cyberattack, Ascension will notify and support those individuals according to regulatory and legal guidelines. The Chicago-based hospitals affected by the cyberattack include Ascension Holy Family, Ascension Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Ascension St. Alexius, Ascension St. Mary and St. Elizabeth, Ascension St. Joseph, Ascension St. Francis, and Ascension Resurrection.
In January, Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago experienced a high-profile cyberattack which led to disruptions in regular operations. This incident serves as a reminder that healthcare systems are vulnerable to cyber threats and must constantly monitor their systems for security breaches.
