Hospitals are facing a surge in cyberattacks, with devastating consequences for both patient safety and financial viability.
So far this year, there have been 266 digital breaches affecting 36 million people, and the numbers are set to outstrip last year’s figures. Recovering from such attacks can be costly and time-consuming, with a ransomware assault on Chicago-based CommonSpirit last October costing the firm about $160m. The firm also suffered a loss of revenues alongside IT issues and is currently facing lawsuits from patients whose data was breached.
In addition to such financial woes, hospitals can also be forced to close, as seen with the shutdown of St Margaret’s Health Hospital in Spring Valley, Illinois. The hospital claims that a ransomware attack hampered its ability to submit claims to payers, resulting in it being “dead in the water” for a minimum of 14 weeks. It is believed this is the first healthcare center to close after such an attack.
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