Cyberattack hits McLaren Health Care, critical systems affected

The Grand Blanc, Michigan-based McLaren Health Care has disclosed a major cyberattack that has affected its vast network of clinics. The security breach, which started early on Monday, has affected the surgical, infusion, and imaging centres of the health system as well as all 13 of its Michigan hospitals. The attack has also interfered with the activities of McLaren’s physician network, which consists of 113,000 healthcare professionals throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.

This incident was the second cyberattack of that kind in a year, primarily targeting the technology systems of the health system. McLaren Health Care’s IT staff is working with outside cybersecurity specialists to evaluate the situation and lessen the impact of the incident. Still undetermined, though, is whether or not employee or patient data has been exposed.

 

The cyberattack on McLaren Health Care caused major disruptions, including ambulance diversions and appointment cancellations.

 

The cyberattack caused significant operational difficulties. Ambulances from McLaren Port Huron Hospital were temporarily diverted due to the unavailability of critical systems that were required to get test results, radiology reports, and medical prescriptions. Due to the inability of doctors to obtain necessary information, this problem also led to the cancellation of other appointments.

The McLaren facilities promptly implemented downtime protocols in order to preserve patient care following the incident. Even with these precautions, certain IT systems are still able to function in limited ways while work is being done to get them back to full capacity. The frontline caregivers and personnel in the health system have been recognised for their dedication and ability to adjust to difficult situations in order to provide continuous patient care.

The duration of the disruption remains uncertain, and there is no available information on whether the attack involved ransomware or if it is connected to last year’s cyber incident involving the BlackCat/AlphV ransomware gang.

McLaren Health Care notes that in spite of the issues, its emergency rooms are operating, the majority of surgeries and procedures are still being performed, and doctor offices are trying their best to see patients. The health system has rescheduled some non-emergent appointments, tests, and treatments in order to prioritise urgent care due to restricted system access.

Furthermore, McLaren is collaborating closely with insurance companies and vendor partners to address possible effects on the supply chain and guarantee that insurance authorisations for care and treatments are processed quickly moving forward. The organisation remains committed to returning to full operational capability and is taking every precaution to manage the current situation.