Key Takeaways
- Kettering Health experienced a malware attack on May 20, believed to be ransomware, causing widespread system outages.
- Emergency services are resuming operations, with hospitals coordinating to manage patient transfers effectively.
- Temporary communication lines have been established for patient inquiries and urgent medical needs as the investigation continues.
Impact of Cyberattack on Kettering Health
A cyberattack on May 20 resulted in a major technology outage at Kettering Health, which administrators suspect to be ransomware. On average, such attacks take 10-20 days to resolve, according to industry experts. Recently, Kettering Health reported achieving a significant milestone by restoring functions in its emergency departments, allowing ambulances to resume operations. John Weimer, senior vice president at Kettering Health, emphasized the hard work of the teams involved in the recovery.
Although Kettering Health has ended its diversion of emergency medical services (EMS), the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association indicated that EMS is still collaborating with hospitals to ensure patient transfers are based on medical necessities. This coordinated approach aims to optimize service availability and capacity.
Recovering from the incident, Kettering Health was able to restore its radiation technology, enabling it to treat patients again after a disruption. Dr. Anthony Paravati, the department’s chief, stated that they are now able to resume active radiotherapy for patients. The organization urges patients to attend scheduled appointments unless contacted for rescheduling.
Kettering Health has also allowed doctors’ offices to accommodate walk-in patients for urgent health concerns, particularly for those with established providers. Services include walk-in care in specialty locations as well.
Employee welfare is being prioritized, with assurance that all personnel will receive timely paychecks. Human Resources has provided guidance to assist employees potentially affected by discrepancies in their pay. Additionally, heightened security measures have been implemented across hospital campuses during this recovery phase.
However, challenges remain, particularly with access to MyChart, Kettering Health’s online patient portal. As of May 23, officials noted that there was no evidence suggesting that personal information had been compromised, though investigations into potential data theft are ongoing.
To assist patients during this period, Kettering Health has initiated temporary support lines for medical inquiries. A clinical support line is available at 937-600-6879 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for urgent health questions. For after-hours needs, existing patients can contact MatchMD at 1-866-257-5363. Additional temporary phone numbers for pharmacies and women’s health clinics have also been published online.
Patients are encouraged to seek immediate assistance at the nearest emergency department for any urgent medical conditions, reinforcing Kettering Health’s commitment to maintaining care during this challenging period.
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