Cyberattack causes UK-based hospitals to cancel appointments, operations

Jessica Kim Cohen -

Appointments and operations at three hospitals in the United Kingdom have been canceled due to a cyberattack on the computer network.

A computer virus entered the network of Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust on Sun., Oct. 30, according to BBC News. Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust runs three hospitals in England. In total, the hospital cancelations have the potential to impact thousands of patients, according to The Guardian; the majority of those who present at the hospitals will be turned away and inpatients will be discharged as soon as medically appropriate.

Patients in need of emergency services, like major trauma cases and high-risk women in labor, will be directed to nearby hospitals. Meanwhile, some services — like chemotherapy, audiology, endoscopy, pediatric, gynecology and laboratory services — continue to run, according to BBC News. For these active services, The Guardian reported that physicians use pen and paper documentation to avoid compromising patient safety.

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