
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WLUK) — A healthcare system that operates in 19 U.S. states experienced a cyberattack, leading to postponed medical tests and blocked access to online records.
Ascension said since it detected unusual activity on Wednesday, it has partnered with Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm, to assist in the investigation and remediation process. The health system is based in St. Louis, Missouri.
Access to some systems has been interrupted, including:
- Ascension's electronic health records system
- MyChart (the platform which allows patients to view their medical records and communicate with providers)
- Some phone systems
- Various systems utilized to order certain tests, procedures and medications
Some non-emergent elective procedures, tests and appointments have been postponed while Ascension is working to bring its systems back online. Any patient whose appointment or procedure needs to be rescheduled will be notified directly.
Patients whose appointments are not cancelled should bring notes on their symptoms, and a list of current medications and prescription numbers, or the prescription bottles, so their care team can call in medication needs to pharmacies.
In a statement released Thursday, Ascension said "safely caring for patients remains our highest priority as we navigate this cybersecurity incident."
Together, we are working to fully investigate what information, if any, may have been affected by the situation," the statement read. "Should we determine that any sensitive information was affected, we will notify and support those individuals in accordance with all relevant regulatory and legal guidelines. We are reaching out to our business partners to ensure they are aware of the situation so they can take appropriate steps to safeguard their systems. We encourage all business partners to coordinate with the Ascension Technology partners to address any specific questions."Ascension said its investigation and restoration work will take time to complete and there is no timeline right now.
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