Cyberattacks' Growing Effect on Patient Safety

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What are your thoughts: Should cybercriminals be charged with murder if the patient dies due to the cyber intrusion?


 Cyberattacks' Growing Effect on Patient Safety

Erica Carbajal,  May 11, 2023

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/patient-safety-outcomes/cyberattacks-growing-effect-on-patient-safety.htmlLinks to an external site.


Cyberattacks are becoming a more common occurrence at U.S. hospitals, with the number doubling between 2016 and 2021. This increase is causing significant disruptions to patient care, experts told ABC NewsLinks to an external site. in a May 10 report. 

Take the example of Jes Kraus, who visited the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington daily for radiation and chemotherapy treatments to fight stage three colorectal cancer. In October, the hospital notified Mr. Kraus that he could not come in for his appointment until further notice because a cyberattack had locked staff out of critical systems. 

"Radiation was canceled for a week," the patient's wife told the news outlet. "We were afraid. We weren't sure if that would affect the outcome. Again, the tumor, would it start growing back within that week? What was going to happen?"

Experts told ABC that these situations are not uncommon as cyberattacks become more frequent. 

"These are direct threats to patient safety," said John Riggi, a national advisor for cybersecurity and risk at the American Hospital Association.

Research has also shown that a single ransomware attack on one hospital can have a ripple effect on other regional healthcare facilities, leading to wait times and higher left without-being-seen rates longer. Cybersecurity experts say more investment, federal regulations, and increased education among healthcare workers are needed to support hospitals in their efforts to better prevent and respond to cyberattacks.

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