A ransomware attack forced Texas healthcare provider UMC Health System to redirect certain patients to alternative facilities, disrupting its normal operations.
UMC has made a public announcement on its website, currently inaccessible at the time of writing, stating that it is working to address an ongoing IT outage affecting its user base. While facilities remain operational, all urgent and routine situations may potentially be redirected.
According to the healthcare group, the cause of the IT outage was a sophisticated ransomware attack.
As of publication, the identity of the main ransomware team responsible for the attack on University Medical Centre (UMC) remains undisclosed, with no group claiming credit.
United Medical Centers (UMC) operates a comprehensive network of 30 health clinics across West Texas and eastern New Mexico, serving approximately 400,000 patients annually.
Within a 400-mile radius, the University Medical Center’s (UMC) Health System in Lubbock plays a vital role as the primary “Stage 1 Trauma Middle” for patients requiring urgent surgical attention.
The hospital is taking measures to minimize the impact of the ransomware attack. Notwithstanding, some departments may remain closed or only provide essential services, with radiology being a prime example of such a scenario.
Due to an ongoing IT system outage, medical prescription lists are currently inaccessible at UMC clinics. As a result, patients are kindly advised to bring their prescriptions with them when attending appointments. Medical information about the affected individual is available on the designated patient portal, although University Medical Center staff currently advise against printing these records.
In the absence of guaranteed communication channels via phone or online portal at this stage, individuals seeking swift assistance are advised to visit a clinic instead.
Ransomware attacks often involve data breaches, with potentially catastrophic consequences: millions of sensitive medical records could be compromised.
The Universal Medicine Chruch (UMC) has yet to address the topic in its latest statement, emphasizing that the inquiry into the safety incident is still ongoing, with any subsequent updates contingent on further information becoming available.
