St. Margaret’s Health in Spring Valley, Illinois, is reportedly the first hospital forced to close its doors due to the fallout of a devastating cyberattack. In conjunction with other factors like the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and a staffing shortage, the hospital has found it impossible to continue its operations. The cyberattack on the hospital is part of a larger trend, with ransomware attacks on US healthcare systems escalating since 2016. According to Allan Liska, a ransomware analyst at cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, at least 300 such attacks have targeted American health care facilities annually since 2020.
The closure will force residents to travel approximately half an hour for essential emergency room and obstetrics services. The hospital’s inability to function during the aftermath of the 2021 ransomware attack had severe consequences, including a months-long interruption in the ability to submit insurance claims, leading to a crippling financial spiral. The incident underscores the increasingly disruptive role cyber threats play in health care, affecting not only data security but also patient care and the very viability of hospitals, particularly those in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
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