Ardent Hospitals Hit by Ransomware Attack
In at least four states, hospitals owned by Ardent Health Services are facing issues following a ransomware attack that occurred last Thursday. Patients in need of immediate care are being redirected to other healthcare facilities.
The company emphasized in a press release that patient care continues safely and efficiently in its hospitals, emergency cases, and clinics. However, due to the attack, some patients have been transferred to other healthcare units for immediate care, and certain scheduled, non-emergency procedures have been carefully rescheduled until systems are restored.
According to NBC News, affected hospitals include Hillcrest HealthCare System in Oklahoma, Lovelace Health System in New Mexico, and UT Health in Texas.
NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, reports that emergency departments at Hackensack Meridian’s Mountainside Medical Center and Pascack Valley Medical Center are out of operation due to security concerns. Ardent Health Services manages these two hospitals in New Jersey through a joint venture.
Ardent, overseeing 30 hospitals and over 200 care locations across six states, announced it has taken preventive measures by disconnecting its network and suspending access to its technological applications. Additionally, the company stated it has bolstered information technology security measures and is collaborating with cybersecurity experts to restore its technological functions as soon as possible.
