When the lights go down in the delivery room: Lessons from a ransomware attack

Area of Science:

• Healthcare cybersecurity
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Cyberattacks, particularly ransomware, present a significant and increasing risk to healthcare systems.
• Disruptions can impact critical patient care services, necessitating robust preparedness and response strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the challenges encountered by an obstetric division post-cyberattack.
• To discuss effective preparation and mitigation strategies for future cyber incidents in obstetrics.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective descriptive study analyzed obstetric division activities (deliveries, C-sections, ER visits, admissions, etc.) over an 11-week period (2 weeks pre-attack to 8 weeks post-attack).
• Data was compared to a pre-COVID-19 period in 2019.
• Challenges and adaptation measures at both division and hospital levels were documented.

Main Results:

• The cyberattack led to critical decision-making, public announcements advising patients to avoid the hospital, and cessation of elective procedures (except C-sections).
• Overall division activity, including deliveries and visits, decreased by 5%-10% during the 11-week period.
• Despite the disruption, sufficient measures were in place to ensure patient safety, decision-making, and workflow.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare systems must acknowledge the escalating threat of ransomware attacks.
• Developing and implementing comprehensive protocols for managing cyberattacks is crucial for all healthcare facilities.