In yet another instance of a cyberattack affecting healthcare facilities in the United States, a hospital representative has confirmed to CNN that an Idaho-based hospital has been redirecting ambulances to alternative medical facilities for over 24 hours. This diversion comes as a result of a hacking incident, highlighting the growing concern of cyber threats in the healthcare sector.
Idaho Falls Community Hospital, an 88-bed medical facility located in the eastern part of the state, has fallen victim to a cyberattack on Monday. As a consequence, healthcare professionals including nurses and doctors have been compelled to resort to pen and paper instead of relying on computers for maintaining patient charts.
This development was confirmed by Brian Ziel, the hospital spokesperson, in a conversation with the press. The incident sheds light on the impact of the cyberattack, necessitating alternative methods for maintaining essential medical records.
At present, the nature of the cyberattack remains uncertain, leaving it unclear whether ransomware was involved.
Ransomware typically locks computer systems, enabling hackers to demand payments in exchange for access. Brian Ziel, the hospital spokesperson, confirmed that no ransom demands have been made to the hospital thus far.
Unfortunately, the healthcare sector in the United States has been grappling with cyber threats throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These attacks, including ransomware incidents, have significantly disrupted patient care, posing challenges for hospitals that often lack adequate preparedness against such incidents.
Additionally, as per the data, the exact numbers of diverted ambulances are currently unknown. Ziel added that the emergency department is, however, open and accepting walk-in patients. The timeline for resuming normal ambulance services remains uncertain at this point.
In addition to impacting Idaho Falls Community Hospital, the cyberattack has also caused disruptions to the computer systems at Mountain View Hospital, which comes under the same ownership.
The attack has hindered the smooth operation of computer systems at both hospitals, further exacerbating the consequences of the cyber incident.
“Both hospitals remain open and are safely caring for all their patients and the vast majority of clinics are seeing patients as usual,” the hospitals reported on Wednesday.
Over the past few years cyberattacks on medical facilities in the United States have become targets of hackers hailing from North Korea, Russia, and Iran. These malicious actors often aim to extort money from organizations that are already strained and ill-equipped to handle disruptions.
Interestingly, there is speculation among industry experts that hospitals may be surreptitiously paying ransoms to hackers following attacks, which frequently go unreported. This potential trend raises concerns about the underreported impact of cyberattacks on the healthcare sector.
