Ransomware attack forces UMC Health System to divert some patients

Texas healthcare provider UMC Health System was forced to divert some patients to other locations after a ransomware attack impacted its operations.

In an announcement published on its website late last week, which is offline at the time of writing, UMC disclosed it is responding to an IT outage impacting its network. While facilities remain open, all emergency and non-emergency cases will be diverted.

The cause of the IT outage, according to the healthcare organization, was a ransomware attack.

As of publication, no major ransomware groups have assumed responsibility for the attack at UMC, so the attackers are unknown.

UMC is a large healthcare provider operating 30 clinics across West Texas and Eastern New Mexico, which are visited by 400,000 patients annually.

Being the only 'Level 1 Trauma Center' within 400 miles, the UMC Health System in Lubbock plays a critical role for patients in need of urgent surgical care.

The hospital is making accommodations to lessen the impact of the ransomware attack. However, certain departments remain closed or can only provide services with significant delays, with radiology being one of those.

Medical prescription lists are unavailable at the UMC clinics due to the IT system outage, so patients are advised to bring them with them when visiting. Medical records are available on the patient portal, but UMC says they cannot be printed now.

Finally, establishing communication over the phone or online portal cannot be guaranteed at this point, so those in need of immediate assistance are advised to visit a clinic.

Ransomware attacks are typically accompanied by data theft, and in this case, the sensitive medical information of hundreds of thousands could be impacted.

UMC has not touched the subject in its latest status update and noted that the investigation into the security incident is still ongoing, and updates will be provided when more information becomes available.