Windsor Regional Hospital COO and Chief Nursing Officer Karen Riddell (inset), shows off the high amount of paperwork used for recordkeeping while a cyberattack affected the hospital's computer systems, December 7, 2023. Screenshot courtesy WRHWeCare/YouTube.Windsor Regional Hospital COO and Chief Nursing Officer Karen Riddell (inset), shows off the high amount of paperwork used for recordkeeping while a cyberattack affected the hospital's computer systems, December 7, 2023. Screenshot courtesy WRHWeCare/YouTube.
Chatham

Hospital systems slowly coming back online after October cyberattack

The five regional hospitals affected by a ransomware cyberattack are confirming that charting systems started coming back online last week and have continued this week.

"As we continue to bring systems online, we are closely monitoring system integrity during network restoration at each institution," hospital officials said in a statement on Thursday morning. "This is on pace with our previously shared goal to have core clinical systems online by December 15."

Hospital leadership said work continues on an isolated plan to bring systems online for Bluewater Health in Sarnia due to the complexities of its system.

Hospital officials noted extensive security measures are also in place to safeguard the systems at Bluewater Health, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, Erie Shores HealthCare in Leamington, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare in Windsor, and Windsor Regional Hospital, along with their shared service provider TransForm Shared Service Organization.

The leadership at all five hospitals is thanking patients, families, and staff for their patience and understanding as work to restore systems and normal operations continues.

"We understand this has been an incredibly challenging period for our communities," officials said. "This criminal cyberattack has affected our patients, employees and professional staff, causing disruptions to the high-quality care you expect at our organizations."

The cyberattack in late October impacted patient care and forced the cancellation of thousands of appointments.

At Bluewater Health, the hackers behind the breach stole the information of over 250,000 patients, including the Social Insurance Numbers (SIN) of thousands.

In Chatham-Kent, recently diagnosed cancer patients were forced to seek treatment outside of the municipality.

Information about 1,446 workers going back to February 2, 2021, was also taken at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, including employee names, addresses, social insurance numbers, gender, marital status, date of birth, and basic pay rate.

The greatest impact at the Leamington hospital was within the diagnostic imaging department, according to Erie Shores HealthCare's CEO.

At Windsor Regional Hospital, some patients were identified only by name or by a brief summary of their condition. The attackers also accessed staff schedules but not employee social insurance numbers or banking information.

Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare said employee social insurance and banking information appeared to be safe, but investigators were evaluating what patient information was compromised.

An investigation into the cyberattack continues by several law enforcement agencies, including INTERPOL and the F.B.I.

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