‘It’s putting patients’ lives in danger’: Nurses say ransomware attack is stressing hospital operations
CNN
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Contributed by: Sarah Richardson
Summary
A ransomware attack on Ascension, a major US hospital network, has severely disrupted operations at multiple facilities, forcing staff to switch to manual records and endangering patient safety. Nurses at Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital and an Ascension hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, reported significant challenges, including increased patient loads, delayed lab results, and safety risks without electronic health records. Ascension, which oversees 140 hospitals, is working to restore electronic systems, but the attack highlights broader vulnerabilities in healthcare cybersecurity. The Biden administration is preparing to introduce new requirements to improve hospital cybersecurity, emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive defenses against such attacks.
