How a Cyberattack Disrupted Capital Health’s IT Network

Capital Health, a non-profit healthcare system that operates two hospitals and dozens of physician offices across New Jersey, was hit by a cyberattack earlier this week that caused IT outages and disruptions.

The cyberattack occurred on Monday and affected the network that connects the Regional Medical Center in Trenton, the Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell, the outpatient facility in Hamilton, and the primary and specialty care practices.

According to a statement from Capital Health, the organization immediately activated its emergency response plan and notified law enforcement authorities. The statement also said that the healthcare system is working with external experts to restore its IT network as soon as possible.

“Capital Health is experiencing network outages because of what we believe to be a cybersecurity incident; something we know is also being experienced at other health care organizations across the country. We are prioritizing safe patient care, while working to restore the network and address the impact of this disruption,” said their statement.

“All Capital Health ERs remain open to those needing emergency care and our teams continue to provide the appropriate treatment for their medical condition. Both hospitals continue to admit and treat patients who need inpatient care and services.”

“With our continued focus on delivering safe patient care, we made some changes to elective surgical and procedure schedules, but there is now minimal impact on surgical schedules. Outpatient radiology is currently not available, and neurophysiology and non-invasive cardiology testing will be rescheduled.”

While the IT network is down, Capital Health is continuing to provide care to its patients using protocols established for system downtime. Both hospitals are accepting incoming patients, including emergency rooms and all other locations. However, some elective procedures and appointments may be rescheduled or delayed until the network is restored.

Capital Health did not disclose the nature or source of the cyberattack or whether any patient data was compromised. The healthcare system said it will update its website and social media channels as more information becomes available.

Cyberattacks on healthcare organizations have become more frequent and sophisticated in recent years, posing a serious threat to patient safety and privacy. Healthcare organizations are advised to implement robust cybersecurity measures and backup systems to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks and train their staff on detecting and responding to suspicious emails and links.

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