Ransomware and EHR Systems: A Dangerous Mix

A Baltimore medical center that suffered a ransomware attack a month ago and pulled its electronic health records system offline as a precaution during the recovery is finally beginning to restore access to the system, the organization's CEO says.

The situation in Baltimore is the latest example of how a ransomware incident can cripple a healthcare organization's ability to access and use EHR systems following an attack, regardless of whether those systems were actually infected by the malware.

In a video posted on Wednesday, John Chessare, M.D., president and CEO of GBMC Healthcare, updated patients about the organization's COVID-19 activities as well as the status of recovery from a cyberattack detected on Dec. 6.

The ransomware incident at GBMC, which operates the 342-bed Greater Baltimore Medical Center and several other facilities, caused the organization's "tightly connected systems," including phone systems and a patient portal, to go down, preventing patients from calling to make appointments and accessing their MyChart records, Chessare said.