McLaren Health Care has announced the restoration of its information technology and clinical operations across its Michigan-based network following a disruptive cyberattack earlier this month. According to The Detroit News, the healthcare provider's systems are now fully functional, and the restoration process, initially expected to last until the month's end, was completed ahead of schedule.
During the IT outage, McLaren Health Care, including the Karmanos Cancer Institute, experienced disruptions leading to the implementation of temporary measures such as asking patients to bring printed medical information to their appointments including medications, physician orders, and lab tests but now, as reported by UpNorthLive, those measures have been lifted and providers at all McLaren's locations now have access to electronic medical records. Over the following weeks, the healthcare system will transfer health records that were manually charted during the IT interruption into their electronic counterpart.
"McLaren Health Care leadership extends its sincere gratitude to its patients for their understanding, assistance, and patience as its teams worked tirelessly and diligently to fully restore its network", detailed an acknowledgment that was further highlighted in the UpNorthLive piece. Despite the swift restoration of services, the health care provider continues to assess the extent of the breach and any potential compromise of personal information, promising to notify those affected directly.
While it did not disclose whether the source of the attack was identified or a ransom was paid, McLaren's statement, noted by Bridge Michigan, indicated that patient care largely continued uninterrupted throughout the cyber attack with the help of implemented backup procedures and paper charting. Nevertheless, the intrusion comes as part of a broader rise in cybersecurity incidents targeting healthcare institutions nationwide, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported a significant increase in such breaches, affecting millions of individuals across the country.
