Late on Thursday, May 9, 2024, Ascension, a prominent U.S. health care system with 140 hospitals in 19 states, reported that a cyberattack had caused disruptions at some of its hospitals. The cyberattack affected various systems including the electronic health records system, MyChart, phone systems, and systems used to order tests, procedures, and medications. This has led to some emergency care being impacted, with ambulances being diverted from certain medical centers to ensure immediate triaging of emergency cases. In case of a medical emergency, individuals are advised to contact 911 for assistance.
As Ascension continues to investigate and work on restoring the affected systems, the health care system has not provided a timeline for completing these efforts. Some non-emergency procedures, tests, and appointments are also being postponed as the organization manages the aftermath of the cyber hack. Ascension operates over 40 senior living facilities in addition to its hospital network. This cyberattack on Ascension is part of a series of attacks targeting U.S. health care organizations, with the incident at Ascension following a ransomware attack on Change Healthcare in February.
The ransomware attack on Change Healthcare disrupted billing at pharmacies nationwide and compromised personal data of up to a third of Americans. To safeguard patient data, UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of Change Healthcare, paid $22 million to the cybercriminals behind the attack. With the increasing frequency of cyberattacks on health care organizations, efforts to enhance health care cybersecurity are vital to protect patient information and maintain the integrity of health care systems across the country.