Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
- Ascension hospitals in Tennessee hit by a major cyberattack affecting patient care.
- Electronic health records, MyChart, phone systems, and ordering systems offline.
Ascension hospitals and doctors’ offices in Tennessee have been impacted by a significant cyberattack, leading to disruptions in patient care. The medical group detected unusual activity in their network systems on May 8 and is currently investigating the issue with internal and external advisors. As a result of the cyberattack, electronic health records, MyChart, phone systems, and various systems used for ordering tests and procedures are all offline. Patients have experienced appointments being postponed and delays in receiving medical care, with some referring to the situation as going back to ‘dinosaur days’ due to the reliance on paper chart systems.
Vanderbilt Health System has reported a higher-than-normal influx of patients due to the ongoing issues at Ascension hospitals. To cope with the disruption, patients attending appointments at Ascension facilities are advised to bring notes on their symptoms, a list of current medications, and prescription numbers or bottles for their care team to handle medication needs. The restoration work following the cyberattack is expected to take time, and the medical group has not provided a timeline for completion.
