August 4, 2023 – In several states a cyberattack has disrupted hospital computer systems, forcing the closure of some emergency rooms to be closed and ambulances to be diverted. Security experts are working to determine exactly how big the problem and is and resolve it.
According to the Associated Press, the cyberattack began on Thursday at facilities operated by Prospect Medical Holdings. Prospect is based in California and has hospitals and clinics in Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.
In a statement, Prospect said, “Upon learning of this, we took our systems offline to protect them and launched an investigation with the help of third-party cybersecurity specialists. While our investigation continues, we are focused on addressing the pressing needs of our patients as we work diligently to return to normal operations as quickly as possible.”
The disruptions affected elective surgeries, outpatient appointments, blood drives, emergency departments and primary care facilities.