On Wednesday, the Ascension Healthcare Network experienced a partial disruption of operations, with some systems remaining down after a “cybersecurity event”.
In a statement, Ascension said it has activated “remediation efforts” to thwart whatever was happening to its systems. An investigation is underway, with Ascension saying potentially compromised portions of its network have been isolated.
The company said it has brought in an outside cybersecurity firm, Mandiant Solutions, to aid in the investigation. Authorities were also alerted to the potential breach. For now, Ascension does not know if any personal or sensitive data on patients was accessed.
"Should we determine that any sensitive information was affected, we will notify and support those individuals in accordance with all relevant regulatory and legal guidelines,” the statement reads.
Patient care and clinical operations were disrupted, but the impact and duration are still being investigated. In the meantime, Ascension advised all vendors and organizations who connect with its systems to bolster security, adding that this incident is an "ongoing situation."
Ascension is the second-largest healthcare system in the country, operating more than 140 hospitals and 2,600 clinics or facilities in 19 states. A potential data breach could impact tens of million of Americans, and a prolonged shutdown of operations could leave thousands without access to care.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.