Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, said in a Friday column that the medical center experienced a ransomware attack that has disabled electronic systems and disrupted patient care.
Woodward said technical teams and “a host of experts in the field of cyberattacks and federal agencies” are working around the clock to segregate systems, repair damage and recover data and applications. She wrote that “we have stopped the bleeding,” but that the full extent of the intrusion remains unknown.
The medical center’s electronic health record and phone systems are not operational, Woodward said, and managers took down all systems to test them for safety. Inpatient units are using downtime procedures, including paper documentation and orders, and emergency departments remain open.
Woodward said clinic operations statewide and elective procedures were canceled Thursday and Friday. She said the center is prioritizing patients who need time-sensitive ongoing care, such as those receiving chemotherapy, and is working to reschedule disrupted outpatient appointments.
Woodward thanked staff and community members for offers of assistance and said personnel have rallied to support patients. She said the center is working to restore full operations and that “the bad guys won’t keep us down.” This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
