Patient files stolen in Ascension cyberattack
Editor's Note Personal patient data could have been compromised in the May 8 cyberattack on Ascension, according to the latest update from the St. Louis-based healthcare system. Posted June 12, the update reveals that attackers accessed files from seven out of 25,000 file servers used for routine tasks, potentially containing…
Tech giants announce plans to bolster rural hospital cybersecurity
Editor's Note Microsoft and Google announced they will offer free or discounted cybersecurity services to rural hospitals in the U.S. to help protect against cyberattacks, CNN reported on June 10. According to the article, Microsoft will provide free security updates, assessments, and staff training, while Google will offer free cybersecurity…
Ascension set to restore electronic health record after cyberattack
Editor's Note Ascension, a 140-hospital, St. Louis-based health system disrupted by a May 8 cyberattack, has announced that its electronic medical record (EHR) will be restored by June 14. Becker’s Health IT reported the news June 5. According to that article, the restoration of systems comes after medical records have…
Doctors hit by cyberattack seek legal action against UnitedHealth
Editor's Note Doctors are urging the American Medical Association (AMA) to take legal action or otherwise help recoup their losses from the February 21 Cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a division of United HealthGroup. Forbes reported the news June 3. The article cites a a resolution before the AMA’s reference committee on amendments…
HHS: Change Healthcare responsible for cyberattack data breach notifications
Editor's Note Change Healthcare is responsible for notifying affected parties about privacy breaches resulting from the February cyberattack on the company, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced May 31. The announcement took the form of an update to an FAQ webpage from HHS’ Office for Civil…
Built to grow: Key elements of planning a new ASC
Are you part of the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) construction boom? If so, you’re not alone. Approximately 116 new facilities opened in 2023, according to Becker’s ASC Review, and more are planned for and underway in 2024. This trend shows no signs of slowing. Fortune Business Insights projects the US…
Cyberattack-affected Providers seek clarity on stolen data reporting responsibility
Editor's Note A joint letter from the American Medical Association (AMA) and more than 100 medical organizations asks Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to confirm that providers do not bear responsibility for legal reporting requirements for information stolen in the Change Healthcare cyberattack, including personal patient data.…
Cybersecurity initiative devotes $50 million to help hospitals combat ransomware
Editor's Note A $50 million initiative to develop cybersecurity tools for hospitals aims to protect providers and patients alike from ransomware, according to a May 20 report in Becker’s Health IT. The Universal PatchinG and Remediation for Autonomous DEfense, or UPGRADE, program was launched the same day by the Advanced Research…
Prolific ransomware group targets healthcare, prompts official warning
Editor's Note Black Basta, reportedly the second most prolific ransomware group in the world, has healthcare organizations firmly in its crosshairs, according to a May 13 article in the Hippa Journal. Citing a May 10 bulletin on the group from Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center Healht-ISAC, the article notes…
Hospitals boost cybersecurity budgets, staff
Editor's Note Hospital head counts and budgets reflect a growing emphasis on cybersecurity, according to a recent Moody’s Investment Service report. As detailed in an April 25 report in Becker’s Health IT, the Moody’s report is based on data from 148 healthcare organizations, 77% of which are hospitals. Cybersecurity team…