A cyberattack hit the University Medical Center in Lubbock Texas last week. The disruption affected certain department records. Another Texas location also reported similar problems, but no correlation was confirmed. Hospital authorities advise patients how they can effectively respond.
At a Glance
- University Medical Center Health System in Lubbock, Texas, experienced a ransomware attack last Thursday.
- The attack caused IT outages, forcing the hospital to divert ambulances to nearby facilities.
- UMC is the only level 1 trauma center within 400 miles.
- Many clinics remain open but are operating on downtime procedures.
- Patients are advised to bring physical copies of prescriptions and other information.
Cyberattack Cripples UMC
University Medical Center Health System (UMC) in Lubbock, Texas, fell victim to a ransomware attack on Thursday, leading to system-wide IT outages and operational disruptions. The attack caused the hospital to redirect ambulance services as well.. The impact on UMC highlights the significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities facing critical healthcare infrastructures.
The IT disruptions, UMC’s Emergency Department, Urgent Care, and Physician Clinics have remained open. However, these units are not currently accepting patients via ambulance.
Broader Impact and Concerns
The radiology systems and phone services at UMC have been severely affected.. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) also reported IT issues but has not confirmed a link to UMC’s problems. TTUHSC has limited its clinical operations and canceled classes temporarily at their 5 Texas-based campuses.
University Medical Center said ransomware was the cause of the technology issues the facility faced on Thursday. The hospital said it diverted both emergency and non-emergency patients to other local hospitals due to the issues. https://t.co/9LarI2ryZm
— KSAN News (@ksannews) September 27, 2024
A new bill introduced by Congress aims to bolster hospital cybersecurity and preparedness, offering funding and mandating cyber incident recovery stress tests. With ransomware attacks on the rise against healthcare organizations, these measures could defend against further attacks.
Encouraging a Proactive Response
UMC advises patients to bring physical copies of their prescriptions and other critical information to help medical staff manage care without relying on digital records. The Covenant Health System continues to experience increased emergency room wait times as they take on the extra patient load.
“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,” the US hospital said in a statement.
Ransomware Attack Forces UMC to Divert Emergency Patients https://t.co/4lOtKzzQim #cybersecurity #infosec #hacking
— The Cyber Security Hub™ (@TheCyberSecHub) October 1, 2024
While no ransomware group has come forward to claim responsibility for this attack, the incident has brought to light the vulnerabilities within hospital IT systems. Addressing these gaps is vital to safeguarding the highly sensitive and critical data that healthcare organizations manage daily.
Ransomware Attack Forces UMC to Divert Emergency Patients https://t.co/4lOtKzzQim #cybersecurity #infosec #hacking
— The Cyber Security Hub™ (@TheCyberSecHub) October 1, 2024
Conclusion
The recent ransomware attack on UMC in Lubbock underscores an urgent need for upgraded cybersecurity measures across all levels of healthcare infrastructure. With the stakes so high, hospitals and governing bodies must work together to implement effective security protocols, ensuring that critical medical services remain uninterrupted.
