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Universal Health Services Faces Cyberattack

Analysis  |  By Melanie Blackman  
   September 29, 2020

The health organization is working "diligently" to restore security and access to its suspended applications.

Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) issued a statement on Monday announcing it had suffered an "IT security issue" over the weekend.

Currently there is no evidence that patient or employee data was compromised during the cyberattack, according to a press release issued Tuesday morning.

In response to the event, UHS has temporarily suspended user access to "information technology applications related to operations located in the United States."

While the suspension may cause "temporary disruptions" across the organization's clinical and financial functions, UHS stated that patient care will continue to be delivered "safely and effectively" through "offline documentation methods."

The health organization is currently working with its security partners to restore security and access to its applications. UHS has also "implemented extensive information technology security protocols" in response to the attack.

This isn't the only cyberattack to happen recently. This past week, Cincinnati-based Christ Hospital announced the Blackbaud cloud software it uses had suffered a data breach this past spring, where patients' personal information was accessed.

Inova Health System, Northshore University Health System, and Light Health, all of which utilize the same vendor, were affected by the data breach as well.

Related: Universal Health Services CEO Stepping Down in January 2021 

Related: UHS Net Revenues Fell 4.4% in Q2, Company Received More Than $200M in Stimulus Funding 

Related: Strategies for Hospitals to Stay 'Cybersafe' During a Pandemic 

Melanie Blackman is a contributing editor for strategy, marketing, and human resources at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.

Photo credit: Milan, Italy - November 1, 2017: Universal Health Services logo on the website homepage. - Image / Editorial credit: Casimiro PT / Shutterstock.com


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