Cyberattack disrupts systems at health technology giant Change Healthcare
Editor's Note Nationwide pharmacy delays and disrupted internal systems are among the effects of a February 21 cyberattack on Change Healthcare, one of the largest healthcare technology companies in the United States. Systems were immediately disconnected to protect partners and patients, the organization reports, and “all other systems across UnitedHealth…
FBI investigates cyberattack on Lurie Children’s Hospital
Editor's Note Billing, records, appointment scheduling and other systems at Lurie Children’s Hospital were still offline a week after representatives of had to cancel a planned OR Business Management Conference presentation due to a cyberattack. According to a February 12 report from the Chicago Sun-Times, the January 31 cyberattack is…
Hackers use stolen identities, IT help desk to redirect hospital funds
Editor's Note: In a sophisticated new scheme, hackers are stealing the identity of hospital employees in financial roles—such as revenue cycle employees—and then reaching out to the hospitals’ IT help desk in order to reset passwords, receive access codes, and redirect funds. The American Hospital Association (AHA) sent out an…
Ransomware attacks on healthcare systems rose in 2023
Editor's Note A near doubling of ransomware attacks on healthcare systems from 2022 to 2023 could point to a problematic trend, according to a January 2 report from cybersecurity firm Emsisoft. Specifically, findings show 46 ransomware attacks in 2023 compared to 25 in 2022 and 27 in 2021. The 2023…
FBI disrupts major ransomware group, Blackcat
Editor's Note The FBI has infiltrated the ransomware group BlackCat—the group responsible for a February cyberattack on the Lehigh Valley Health Network—and issued a decryption tool enabling victims around the world to restore their systems, according to a December 19 Justice Department press release. Emerging during the past 18…
HHS releases concept paper on cybersecurity for healthcare sector
Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a new concept paper on the department’s strategy regarding cybersecurity for the healthcare sector, a December 6 HHS press release reports. The paper details four pillars for action: publishing new voluntary healthcare-specific cybersecurity performance goals working with Congress…
FDA encourages new cybersecurity standards on medical device manufacturing
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized the latest guidance on medical device cybersecurity from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), an AAMI November 14 press release reports. This latest cybersecurity recognition is encouraging its use across the medical device manufacturing industry to…
Cybersecurity alert: New ransomware may pose serious threat to healthcare institutions
Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) November 6 is alerting healthcare institutions to a new ransomware known as BlackSuit, which is likely to pose a serious threat to the healthcare and public health sectors. According to AHA: BlackSuit is very similar to the Royal ransomware family, which followed the…
Hospital associations file lawsuit against HHS over new website tracking rule
Editor's Note A number of prominent hospital associations have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over guidance that seeks to prohibit them from using tracking tools to monitor visitors on their websites, the American Hospital Association (AHA) November 2 reports. A few highlights of…
Third quarter earnings: UHS, Tenet see financial success; CHS, HCA face challenges
Editor's Note Two major hospital systems–Universal Health Services (UHS) and Tenet Healthcare–saw improved third-quarter profits in 2023, but Community Health Systems (CHS) and HCA Healthcare did not see similar upward trends, HealthLeaders November 3 reports. According to the article, rising demand in services at UHS drove third-quarter earnings up 6.8%…