(CBS-DETROIT) – After last month’s cyberattack on Ascension hospitals across the countrythe health care system has released an update on what happened.
The cyberattack compromised MyChart, the electronic medical records system, and other systems not available to employees to gain access. This prompted hospitals to ask patients for this take notes about their symptoms, medications, prescription numbers and bottles to appointments. Are Pharmacies were also unable to fill prescriptions for patients.
After bringing in a third party To investigate the attack, Ascension says it was caused by an honest mistake.
Ascension said the attacker gained access to its systems when an employee working in one of their facilities accidentally downloaded a malicious file, according to an Ascension release.
There is no evidence that information comes from the hospital’s electronic medical records or other clinical systems, where patient record data is held, but these still determine what specific data is involved.
“At this time we do not know exactly which data may be affected and for which patients,” an Ascension spokesperson said. “To reach these conclusions, we must conduct a full assessment of the files that may have been affected and analyze them carefully. Although we have begun this process, it is a significant undertaking that will take time.”
Ascension offers free credit monitoring on identity theft services to any patient or employee who requests it, even if they “determine in the future that their information was actually involved in this incident.”
Anyone interested in this free credit monitoring can contact Ascension’s call center at 1-888-498-8066.
Ascension encourages anyone with concerns to use the service, but this does not mean they know specific information about whose data has been affected.
“However, we want to be clear that this offer does not mean that we have determined that specific individual patient data has been compromised,” the spokesperson said. “Rather, it illustrates our desire to do everything possible to reassure our patients and employees, regardless of any impact on specific individuals’ data.”
Ascension has 140 hospitals across the US and treats millions of visitors annually.
