Cybersecurity

Cyberattacks against hospitals and health systems are becoming more frequent and disruptive. As a result, CIOs are working with their teams to heighten cyber hygiene across the organization.

In response to the February ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, CMS is introducing special measures to assist affected organizations in navigating the federal independent dispute resolution process under the No Surprises Act.

Hospitals and health systems across the country have been returning to paper medical records during IT outages caused by the unceasing number of cyberattacks plaguing the industry.

Hackers were able to launch a ransomware attack on St. Louis-based Ascension, disrupting its IT systems and operations for 140 hospitals, because an employee did something thousands of people do every single day.

Poway, Calif.-based Palomar Health Medical Group said it is getting ready to bring its systems back online after "suspicious activity" forced them offline in May, NBC affiliate KNSD reported June 12. 

Following Change Healthcare's admission that it paid off hackers after its ransomware attack, there has been a spike in healthcare-related cyber incidents, Wired reported June 12.

St. Louis-based Ascension said hackers stole files that likely contained patient data during the recent cyberattack on the health system.

St. Louis-based Ascension has restored EHR access in 11 states in the wake of a recent cyberattack. 

Two senators accused UnitedHealthcare of violating HIPAA because the company has not sent out breach notifications for the February cyberattack on Change Healthcare, one of its subsidiaries. 

Federal authorities are investigating a 2023 data breach at a medical transcription company that may have compromised the personal information of up to 1.2 million patients at Chicago-based Cook County Health, NPR affiliate WBEZ reported June 10.