Description

UMC Health System, a Texas-based healthcare provider, has been diverting patients for several days after taking its IT systems offline due to a ransomware attack. The incident was disclosed on September 27, 2024, when UMC announced that both emergency and non-emergency ambulance patients were being redirected to nearby hospitals. Upon detecting the suspicious activity, UMC immediately launched an investigation and proactively disconnected its systems to contain the situation. In a notice on its website, the healthcare provider explained that these steps were taken to mitigate the impact of the attack. Over the weekend, UMC managed to restore some of the affected services, and as of the latest update, only a limited number of patients are still being diverted. UMC emphasized that its healthcare facilities, including Emergency Centers and Urgent Care Clinics, remain open. The Emergency Center has also resumed accepting patients arriving by ambulance. UMC has engaged third-party specialists experienced in helping hospitals handle similar cyber incidents to assist with the response and recovery efforts. In the meantime, downtime procedures have been implemented to minimize disruption to patients and critical services. The provider is committed to restoring all services as soon as it is safe to do so. Although the facilities and clinics are operational, they are not functioning normally. Patients are being notified of changes to scheduled appointments and any impact on their treatment. Those requiring immediate assistance are advised to visit a clinic directly, as phone and online access may be unreliable. UMC continues to work around the clock, in partnership with third-party experts, to advance its recovery and investigation efforts. The hospital has promised to provide ongoing updates regarding the remediation process and the investigation into the attack.