The study found that hospitals near a health care facility that was impacted by a ransomware attack may experience an influx of patients and lack resources that could affect time-sensitive matters.
Other disruptions may include an increase in ambulance arrivals, waiting room times, patients left without being seen and patient length of stay.
The authors of the study concluded that the hospital disruptions tied to a cyberattack “should be considered a regional disaster.”
“This study suggests that health care cyberattacks such as ransomware are associated with greater disruptions to regional hospitals and should be treated as disasters, necessitating coordinated planning and response efforts,” the authors said.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
