Government Healthcare Policy, Business and Technology

Time to Face the Ransomware Crisis in U.S. Healthcare: Industry Experts Speak Out

Healthcare Informatics: The first nationally reported mainstream media news story in this drama was that around Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. On Friday, February 12, NBC4News, the local affiliate of the NBC network in Los Angeles, reported in its noon and evening broadcasts, and then online, this story: “Hollywood Hospital ‘Victim of Cyber Attack.’” As the online version of the story, by Jason Kandel and Robert Kovacik, stated, “A Southern California hospital was a victim of a cyber-attack, interfering with day-to-day operations, the hospital’s president and CEO said. Staff at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center began noticing ‘significant IT issues and declared an internal emergency’ on Friday, said hospital President and CEO Allen Stefanek. A doctor who did not want to be identified said the system was hacked and was being held for ransom.”

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