(GoRealNewsNow.com) – American lives are now in danger, as a critical cyberattack on the University Medical Center (UMC) in Lubbock, Texas, exposed the vulnerabilities of the U.S. healthcare system.
The ransomware attack has crippled the hospital’s operations, forcing it to divert ambulances and compromising patient care.
The attack caused widespread IT outages, severely impacting the hospital’s ability to provide essential services.
As a result, UMC was forced to divert incoming ambulances to nearby facilities, potentially putting lives at risk.
The hospital stated, “Out of an abundance of caution, we will continue to temporarily divert incoming emergency and non-emergency patients via ambulance to nearby health facilities until this issue is resolved.”
This drastic measure underscores the severity of the situation and the potential dangers posed by cyber criminals targeting healthcare institutions.
Moreover, the attack affected multiple systems, including radiology systems and phone services.
Patients are now advised to bring physical copies of prescriptions and other information, as access to electronic records has been compromised.
“While we’ve seen the rate of ransomware attacks reach a kind of ‘homeostasis’ or even declining across industries, attacks against healthcare organizations continue to intensify, both in number and scope,” said Sophos field CTO John Shier.
The attack on UMC is not an isolated incident. Other hospitals, including Weiser Memorial Hospital, have reported similar attacks recently.
This trend highlights the sensitive nature of healthcare information and its accessibility, which makes hospitals prime targets for cybercriminals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities for financial gain.
In response to the growing threat, Congress has introduced a new bill to improve hospital cybersecurity and preparedness. The legislation would provide funding and require stress tests for cyber incident recovery.
While this is a step in the right direction, it is clear that more immediate action is needed to protect America’s healthcare systems from these devastating attacks.
“UMC’s Emergency Center is now accepting patients via ambulance. However, out of an abundance of caution, the Emergency Center continues to divert a select number of patients until all UMC resources are fully functioning,” the website stated
The ripple effects of this attack extend beyond UMC. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) has also reported IT issues, although they have not confirmed a direct link to UMC’s problems.
TTUHSC has limited clinical operations and canceled classes, affecting multiple campuses, including Amarillo, Permian Basin, Abilene and Dallas.
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