Ransomware attacks cut hospital visits by 16%, study finds
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES — A recent study published in the medical journal JAMA revealed that hospitals experienced significant decreases in emergency department (ED) visits and inpatient admissions following ransomware attacks.
In the first week after an attack, ED visits and inpatient admissions at targeted hospitals fell by over 8%. By the second week, these figures had dropped by more than 16%.
Ripple effect on nearby hospitals
The study also highlighted the broader impact of ransomware attacks on the healthcare system. Nearby hospitals, which were not directly targeted, saw an increase in emergency department visits.
This suggests that the consequences of such attacks extend beyond the affected facilities. “The consequences of such attacks are broader than the targeted hospitals,” the researchers noted.
Growing threat of ransomware on healthcare
Ransomware, a type of malware that locks users out of their data until a ransom is paid, poses a significant threat to hospital operations.
Major hospital chains like Ascension and CommonSpirit have been targeted, and a ransomware attack on UnitedHealth’s technology firm Change Healthcare earlier this year disrupted key tasks like claims processing and payment across the healthcare sector
Severe consequences for patient care
Ransomware attacks can severely disrupt hospital operations, shut down electronic health records, delay scheduled procedures, and force ambulances to divert to other facilities.
Some providers have even reported an increase in patient mortality rates following such attacks. The study found that it often takes weeks for hospitals to recover from these disruptions fully.
The JAMA study analyzed California emergency department and patient discharge data from 2014 to 2020 to understand the healthcare impacts of ransomware attacks.
The researchers found that emergency visits and inpatient admissions at targeted facilities returned to pre-attack levels within eight weeks.
However, nearby hospitals experienced increased emergency department visits for up to four weeks, with a more than 7% uptick in the third week after an attack. Despite this, there were no statistically significant increases in inpatient admissions at these nearby hospitals.
Robust cybersecurity measures needed
The study’s findings underscore the far-reaching consequences of ransomware attacks on the healthcare system, affecting not only the targeted hospitals but also neighboring facilities. This highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect hospital operations and ensure patient safety.
