cybersecurity

The primary provider of blood in Florida says it’s remaining operational to collect, test and distribute as it works to restore full functionality to its systems "as expeditiously as possible.”

The internet meltdown that brought down Windows computers had a huge effect on the operation of hospitals all over the world.

Change Healthcare says it has reviewed more than 90% of impacted files and has seen no signs that doctors’ charts or full medical histories were taken in the February ransomware attack.

While Ascension facilities remain open in Florida and elsewhere in the national chain, staff have to use manual processes they left behind some 20 years ago while the IT system remains down.

The health system says it is making progress restoring its network. Meantime, the chain's Florida facilities are seeing patients, although delays should be expected due to the transition to paper records.

Ascension, which runs hospitals and clinics in North Florida, is investigating whether patient data was affected. Meantime, electronic health records are down and "nonemergent" procedures are postponed.

The attack is disrupting facilities operated by Prospect Medical Holdings, which is based in California and has hospitals and clinics there and in Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

Consumers should know that medical identity theft can happen, whether from a large-scale breach or theft of an individual's data. The result could be thousands of dollars in medical bills.

U.S. hospitals have seen a record number of cyberattacks over the past few years. Getting hacked can cost a hospital millions of dollars and expose patient data, and even jeopardize patient care.

The health care sector has become the hot target for hackers in recent months, according to researchers at Symantec, a leading cybersecurity company that…