A suspected cyberattack knocked out phone and internet service across AnMed Health’s network on Sunday, while technicians tried to bring systems back online; AnMed said care teams remained on site and emergency departments were seeing patients, according to internal sources and the health system’s post.
In a Facebook post, AnMed wrote, “We are currently experiencing a phone and internet outage affecting all locations,” and sources inside the system told reporters the disruption appears to be the result of a cyberattack, as reported by WYFF News 4. The post added that care teams remain on site and emergency rooms are still seeing patients while the system works to restore services.
Systemwide impact and local operations
AnMed operates hospitals and clinics across the Upstate and into northeast Georgia, so a systemwide outage has the potential to disrupt scheduling, lab reporting and phone-based appointment systems. According to AnMed, the network includes multiple campuses and ambulatory sites, and care teams remained on site while emergency rooms continued to see patients.
Why hospital outages matter
Cyberattacks on health systems have repeatedly forced clinics to close or delay care and pushed clinicians onto paper for days at a time. Earlier this year, the University of Mississippi Medical Center closed clinics statewide after a February cyberattack, underscoring how long recovery can drag on, according to Mississippi Today. Separate reporting from HealthLeaders Media has warned that this kind of downtime can escalate into a “clinical crisis” that strains emergency departments and other services.
What patients should do
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department; AnMed’s emergency units were reported open. For routine appointments, patients are urged to check AnMed’s official channels for updates. AnMed posted about the outage on its Facebook page.
Privacy and legal implications
AnMed said it has "no reason to believe" that patient information was saved or passed on. If investigators ultimately determine that unsecured protected health information was exposed, the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule requires covered entities to notify affected individuals and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to guidance from HHS.
The health system is working to restore services and has been contacted for additional comment, as reported by WYFF News 4. This story will be updated as AnMed or authorities release more information.
