Cybersecurity Event Update Ascension
pNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 14 930am CTppWe are pleased to announce that electronic health record EHR access has been restored across our ministries This means that clinical workflow in our hospitals and clinics will function similarly to the way it did prior to the ransomware attack This also means patients should see improved efficiencies in appointment scheduling wait times for appointments and prescription fulfillment However our investigation into this incident is ongoing along with the remediation of additional systemsppAccess to patient portals has also been restored in each community we serve However please note that medical records and other information collected between May 8 and the date of local EHR restoration may be temporarily inaccessible as we work to update the portal with information collected during the system downtime For record availability during that time frame please contact your clinicians office Please note that due to high volumes responses to portal messages may experience a slight delayppThe developments shared today represent a highly encouraging milestone in our organizations journey toward full recovery On behalf of our Ministry we want to thank our patients for your support and patience during this time To our dedicated clinicians thank you for your ongoing hard work and commitmentppCybersecurity Event UpdateppAlabamappCybersecurity Event UpdateppArkansasppCybersecurity Event UpdateppDistrict of ColumbiappCybersecurity Event UpdateppFloridappCybersecurity Event UpdateppIllinoisppCybersecurity Event UpdateppIndianappCybersecurity Event UpdateppKansasppCybersecurity Event UpdateppLouisianappCybersecurity Event UpdateppMarylandppCybersecurity Event UpdateppMichiganppCybersecurity Event UpdateppMissourippCybersecurity Event UpdateppOklahomappCybersecurity Event UpdateppTennesseeppCybersecurity Event UpdateppTexasppCybersecurity Event UpdateppWisconsinpp ppRight now we dont know precisely what data was potentially affected and for which patients or associates In order to reach those conclusions we need to conduct a full review of the files that may have been impacted and carefully analyze them While we have started this process it is a significant undertaking that will take timeppWe encourage all Ascension patients and staff who are concerned to take advantage of our complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services We want to be clear however that this offer does not mean we have determined that any specific individual patients data has been compromised Rather it illustrates our desire to do everything possible to reassure our patients and associates regardless of any impact to specific individuals datappIndividuals who wish to enroll in free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services should call the Ascension Incident Response Line at 8884988066 where you will speak to a representative who will provide you with a unique enrollment code Once you receive the code the representative can transfer you to another representative who can enroll you in credit monitoring over the phone using your unique enrollment code Alternatively they can direct you to the website to enroll online with your unique enrollment codeppWe need to conduct a full review of the files that may have been impacted and carefully analyze them While we have started this process it is a significant undertaking that will take time Once our data analysis is complete however we are committed to following all applicable laws and regulations to notify affected individuals and the appropriate regulatory bodiesppWe have no evidence at this time that any patient or associate is at greater risk of fraud as a result of this incident Rather we are making this complimentary service available out of a desire to do everything possible to reassure our patients and associates regardless of any impact to specific individuals datappOn May 8 Ascension detected unusual activity in our network systems which we have determined is due to a ransomware attack We continue to diligently investigate and address this ransomware attack working closely with industryleading cybersecurity experts to assist in our investigation and recovery efforts ppAscension has successfully restored Electronic Health Record EHR access across our ministries As a result patients in our hospitals and clinics should see improved efficiencies in appointment scheduling wait times for appointments and prescription fulfillment Additionally access to patient portals have been restored in each community we serveppHowever please note that medical records and other information collected between May 8 and the date of local EHR restoration may be temporarily inaccessible as we work to update the portal with information collected during the system downtime For record availability during that time frame please contact your clinicians office Please note that due to high volumes responses to portal messages may experience a slight delayppDowntime procedures are safe clinical practices born out of necessity They are predefined steps that all healthcare organizations follow during a system or network failure developed in case of a potential threat We are taking all necessary precautions at this time and our downtime procedures require our highly qualified dedicated medical nursing and clinical teams to utilize manual processes to ensure patients are properly cared for
ppManual processes including moving to paper records and processing everything by hand are being utilized for varying clinical processes including dispensing medication inputting health medical records ordering and completion of diagnostic tests and procedures contacting patients and sharing information securely
ppYes clinicians can access medical records electronically as they did prior to this incident Additionally now that electronic health record EHR access has been restored across our ministries patients should see improved efficiencies in appointment scheduling wait times for appointments and prescription fulfillmentppOur restoration work will take time and we do not have a timeline for completion We will continue to provide updates as appropriate ppInvestigations of this nature take time to complete While we are not able to provide an exact timetable we will continue to provide updates as appropriate These updates can be found on our website at httpsaboutascensionorgcybersecurityeventppCaring for our patients remains our highest priority We understand there may be concerns but our workforce is well trained in providing patient care with established downtime procedures
ppOur teams are working directly with any patient whose appointment or procedure will need to be rescheduled Unless instructed otherwise by their care team patients should continue to attend appointments as scheduled
ppYes Our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing care Caring for our patients remains our highest priority We understand there may be concerns but our workforce is well trained in providing patient care with established downtime procedures
ppOur teams are working directly with any patient whose appointment or procedure will need to be rescheduled Unless instructed otherwise by their care team patients should continue to attend appointments as scheduled
ppOur hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing care Safely caring for our patients remains our highest priority as we navigate this cybersecurity incident ppOur hospitals and facilities including emergency departments remain open and are providing care Caring for our patients remains our highest priority We understand there may be concerns but our workforce is well trained in providing patient care with established downtime procedures
ppIf you are experiencing a medical emergency please contact 911 and your local emergency services will bring you to the nearest hospital emergency room
ppCaring for our patients remains our highest priority We understand there may be concerns but our workforce is well trained in providing patient care with established downtime procedures ppYes All Ascension patients can now access their patient portal However medical records and other information collected between May 8 and the date of local EHR restoration may be temporarily inaccessible as we work to upload the information collected during the system downtime For record availability during that time frame please contact your clinicians office directly Please note that due to high volumes response to portal messages may experience a slight delayppYes Ascension Rx Pharmacies can process and ship prescriptions Please note that there may be a slight delay in processing and shipping at this timeppThis is because we are experiencing higher than average call volumes We look forward to serving you as soon as we are able If you continue to have concerns you can call our national call center at 18884934817 and we will do our best to assist you If you are experiencing a medical emergency please dial 911 and local emergency services will transport you to the most appropriate hospital emergency roomppYour SmartHealth app is available again However some recent claims may be delayed in appearing in the appppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 12 1045am CTppWe have made progress in our investigation and recovery with the help of thirdparty cybersecurity experts At this point we now have evidence that indicates that the attackers were able to take files from a small number of file servers used by our associates primarily for daily and routine tasks These servers represent seven of the approximately 25000 servers across our network Though we are still investigating we believe some of those files may contain Protected Health Information PHI and Personally Identifiable Information PII for certain individuals although the specific data may differ from individual to individualppWe have also identified how the attacker gained access to our systems An individual working in one of our facilities accidentally downloaded a malicious file that they thought was legitimate We have no reason to believe this was anything but an honest mistakeppImportantly we have no evidence that data was taken from our Electronic Health Records EHR and other clinical systems where our full patient records are securely storedppRight now we dont know precisely what data was potentially affected and for which patients In order to reach those conclusions we need to conduct a full review of the files that may have been impacted and carefully analyze them While we have started this process it is a significant undertaking that will take time In the meantime to provide our patients and associates with the greatest peace of mind possible we are offering complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to any Ascension patient or associate who requests it free of charge and regardless of whether we determine in the future that their data was actually involved in this incidentppIndividuals who wish to enroll in free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services should call our dedicated call center at 18884988066ppWe encourage all Ascension patients and staff who are concerned to take advantage of these services We want to be clear however that this offer does not mean we have determined that any specific individual patients data has been compromised Rather it illustrates our desire to do everything possible to reassure our patients and associates regardless of any impact to specific individuals datappWe understand individuals may have questions about their data including whether it was affected but at this point we are not able to answer those questions on an individual basis Once our data analysis is complete however we are committed to following all applicable laws and regulations to notify affected individuals and the appropriate regulatory bodies To our patients associates and the communities we serve we regret any disruption or concern you may have experienced as a result of this incidentppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 11 130pm CTppAscension is pleased to report that we have successfully restored EHR access inppWe are still working toward completing Electronic Health Record EHR restoration across our ministry by June 14thppAs EHR is restored across the entirety of our network clinicians will be able to access patient records electronically as they did prior to this incident Patients who receive care in those markets can also access their patient portal as they normally wouldppHowever please note that medical records and other information between May 8th and the date of local EHR restoration may not be accessible as we work to upload the information collected during the system downtime For record availability during that time frame please contact your clinicians office Please note that due to high volumes responses to portal messages may experience a slight delayppWe sincerely thank our patients and community for your support and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 7 400pm CTppAscension continues to work expeditiously alongside industryleading cybersecurity experts in our efforts to safely restore systems across our network Please know our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing patient care Patients should continue to visit the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basisppAscension continues to make progress in our efforts to safely restore systems across our network Restoring our Electronic Health Record EHR continues to be among one of the top priorities of our recovery processppTo date we have successfully restored EHR access in our Florida Alabama Tennessee Maryland Central Texas Ascension Seton and Dell Childrens hospitals and Oklahoma markets We are still working toward completing EHR restoration across our entire ministry by June 14ppFor patients who receive care in Florida Alabama Tennessee Maryland Central Texas and Oklahoma access to your patient portal has been restored However please note that medical records and other information between May 8th and June 6th may not be accessible as we work to update the portal with information collected during the system downtime For record availability during that time frame please contact your clinicians office Please note that due to high volumes responses to portal messages may experience a slight delayppThank you to our patients and community for your patience and support and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 5 925am CTppAscension continues to work expeditiously alongside industryleading cybersecurity experts in our efforts to safely restore systems across our network Please know our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing patient care Patients should continue to visit the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basisppAs we have previously communicated restoring Electronic Health Record EHR access has been among the top priorities of our recovery process We are encouraged to report positive developments in these efforts and can announce that we have successfully restored EHR access in our Florida Alabama Tennessee Maryland and Central Texas Ascension Seton and Dell Childrens hospitals marketsppBased on what we have learned about this process to date we are working toward completing EHR restoration across our entire ministry by the end of the week ending June 14ppAs EHR is restored across the entirety of our networks clinicians will be able to access patient records as they did prior to this incident While these are promising developments in our recovery efforts our investigation into this incident remains ongoing along with the remediation of additional systems This is a complex process and it will still take time to completeppAdditionally Ascension Rx retail home delivery and specialty pharmacy sites are now open and able to meet your prescription needs This means that healthcare providers are able to transmit prescriptions electronically and can send prescriptions to Ascension Rx pharmacies for their patientsppFinally we again want to thank our patients and community for your support through this time and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 4 600am CTppAscension continues to work expeditiously alongside industryleading cybersecurity experts in our efforts to safely restore systems across our network Please know our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing patient care Patients should continue to visit the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basisppAs we have previously communicated restoring Electronic Health Record EHR access has been among the top priorities of our recovery process We are encouraged to report positive developments in these efforts and can announce that we have successfully restored EHR access in our Florida Alabama and Austin marketsppBased on what we have learned about this process to date we are working toward completing EHR restoration across our entire ministry by the end of the week ending June 14ppAs EHR is restored across the entirety of our networks clinicians will be able to access patient records as they did prior to this incident While these are promising developments in our recovery efforts our investigation into this incident remains ongoing along with the remediation of additional systems This is a complex process and it will still take time to completeppAdditionally Ascension Rx retail home delivery and specialty pharmacy sites are now open and able to meet your prescription needs This means that healthcare providers are able to transmit prescriptions electronically and can send prescriptions to Ascension Rx pharmacies for their patientsppFinally we again want to thank our patients and community for your support through this time and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 29 625pm CT
ppAscension continues to work around the clock with industryleading cybersecurity experts to safely restore systems across our network Please know our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing safe care Patients should continue to monitor the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basis
ppRestoring Electronic Health Record EHR access has been among the top priorities of our recovery process Due to the hard work of our teams over the past several days we have successfully restored EHR access in our first market and are actively progressing a plan to restore access across our network on a rolling basis
ppWe want to sincerely thank our patients and community for your support and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 24 849am CTppAscension continues to work around the clock with industryleading cybersecurity experts to safely restore operations across our network We are hopeful that after the weekend our patients and clinicians will see progress across our points of care Many of our vendors and partners have also started the process of reconnecting to our network and resuming services with Ascension which should help to accelerate our overall recoveryppUntil that time please know that our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing care Patients should continue to monitor the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basisppWe also want to extend a sincere note of gratitude to our dedicated clinicians who are providing care under challenging circumstances The compassion and resilience you have displayed throughout this event is truly remarkable and is emblematic of Ascensions mission to improve the health of the individuals and communities we serveppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 21 845am CTppAscension continues to work with industryleading cybersecurity experts to investigate the recent
ransomware attack and to rebuild and restore our systems securely While this process continues in
earnest our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing care Patients should continue to
monitor the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basis
ppToday we also kicked off a series of regular touchpoints with our critical partners and vendors in order to
provide them with important information to assist with restoring their connection to the Ascension network
As we make progress in both restoring operations and reconnecting our partners into the network we will
continue to relay both general and statebystate updates on this page Please check back regularly for
new information
ppThank you for your support as we continue to respond to this incidentppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 15 423pm CTppAscension continues to make progress towards restoration and recovery following the recent ransomware
attack We continue to work with industry leading forensic experts from Mandiant to conduct our
investigation into this attack and understand the root cause and how this incident occurred In parallel we
have brought in additional cybersecurity experts from Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 and from CYPFER to help
supplement our rebuild and restoration efforts We are focused on getting systems back up and running
as safely and as quickly as possible We are also working on reconnecting with our vendors with the help
of our recovery experts Please be aware that it may still take some time to return to normal operations
ppOur priority remains providing quality patient care and relaying uptodate information when available as
we work through this recovery process Please continue to refer to this website page along with the
regional update pages for more information We encourage anyone seeking information surrounding the
incident or with questions about the operational status of Ascension facilities to visit this page for the
latest updates
ppAs we continue to progress in these recovery and restoration efforts we want to express a sincere thank
you to our patients and community for your patience and support through this difficult timeppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 13 430pm CTppAscension previously reported that it experienced a ransomware attack that has caused disruptions to patient care in its network Our priority remains on providing safe patient care
Ascension with the support of leading cybersecurity experts worked around the clock over
the weekend to respond to the ransomware incident affecting our systems We are focused on restoring systems safely We are making progress however it will take time to return to normal operations As systems and services come back online we will share those updates so that our patients and communities can plan accordingly
We have established a dedicated website to share any updates we have across our system We will be expanding the site this week to provide updates related to healthcare services as they relate to specific regions
ppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 11 200pm CTppWe continue to diligently investigate and address the recent ransomware incident working closely with industry leading cybersecurity experts to assist in our investigation and restoration and recovery efforts Additionally we have notified law enforcement as well as government partners including the FBI the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA the Department of Health and Human Services HHS and the American Hospital Association AHA We remain in close contact with the FBI and CISA and we are sharing relevant threat intelligence with the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center HISAC so that our industry partners and peers can take steps to protect themselves from similar incidents
ppWhile our restoration work continues in earnest our focus is on restoring systems as safely as possible While we expect this process will take time to complete we are making progress and systems are being restored in a coordinated manner at each of our care sites We will continue to share updates on our recovery process ppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppOn May 8 Ascension detected unusual activity in our network systems We have determined this is a cybersecurity incident We are working around the clock with internal and external advisors to investigate contain and restore our systems following a thorough validation and screening process Our investigation and restoration work will take time to complete and we do not have a timeline for completion
ppSafely caring for patients remains our highest priority as we navigate this cybersecurity incident We are actively supporting our ministries as they continue to provide safe patient care with established downtime protocols and procedures in which our workforce is well trained It is expected that we will be utilizing downtime procedures for some time Patients should bring to their appointment notes on their symptoms and a list of current medications and prescription numbers or the prescription bottles so their care team can call in medication needs to pharmacies
ppSystems that are currently unavailable include our electronic health records system MyChart which enables patients to view their medical records and communicate with their providers some phone systems and various systems utilized to order certain tests procedures and medications We have implemented established protocols and procedures to address these particular system disruptions in order to continue to provide safe care to patients Out of an abundance of caution however some nonemergent elective procedures tests and appointments have been temporarily paused while we work to bring systems back online Our teams are working directly with any patient whose appointment or procedure will need to be rescheduled We understand the frustration this may cause and sincerely regret any inconvenience to our patients
ppDue to downtime procedures several hospitals are currently on diversion for emergency medical services in order to ensure emergency cases are triaged immediately If you are experiencing a medical emergency please contact 911 and your local emergency services will bring you to the nearest hospital emergency room
ppWe are beyond grateful for the hard work and dedication of our care teams across the system and their continued commitment to our patients We also thank our patients and our community for their continued support and patience during this time as we work through a diligent timeintensive process to restore systems as quickly and as safely as possible To ensure all patients staff and stakeholders are kept informed during this event we will continue to post updated information on our website as it becomes availableppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokesperson
For updates please visit aboutascensionorgcybersecurityevent
ppOn Wednesday May 8 we detected unusual activity on select technology network systems which we now believe is due to a cybersecurity event At this time we continue to investigate the situation We responded immediately initiated our investigation and activated our remediation efforts Access to some systems have been interrupted as this process continues
ppOur care teams are trained for these kinds of disruptions and have initiated procedures to ensure patient care delivery continues to be safe and as minimally impacted as possible There has been a disruption to clinical operations and we continue to assess the impact and duration of the disruption
ppWe have engaged Mandiant a third party expert to assist in the investigation and remediation process and we have notified the appropriate authorities Together we are working to fully investigate what information if any may have been affected by the situation Should we determine that any sensitive information was affected we will notify and support those individuals in accordance with all relevant regulatory and legal guidelines
ppWe are reaching out to our business partners to ensure they are aware of the situation so they can take appropriate steps to safeguard their systems We encourage all business partners to coordinate with the Ascension Technology partners to address any specific questions
ppThis is an ongoing situation and we will provide updates on our website as we learn more p
ppManual processes including moving to paper records and processing everything by hand are being utilized for varying clinical processes including dispensing medication inputting health medical records ordering and completion of diagnostic tests and procedures contacting patients and sharing information securely
ppYes clinicians can access medical records electronically as they did prior to this incident Additionally now that electronic health record EHR access has been restored across our ministries patients should see improved efficiencies in appointment scheduling wait times for appointments and prescription fulfillmentppOur restoration work will take time and we do not have a timeline for completion We will continue to provide updates as appropriate ppInvestigations of this nature take time to complete While we are not able to provide an exact timetable we will continue to provide updates as appropriate These updates can be found on our website at httpsaboutascensionorgcybersecurityeventppCaring for our patients remains our highest priority We understand there may be concerns but our workforce is well trained in providing patient care with established downtime procedures
ppOur teams are working directly with any patient whose appointment or procedure will need to be rescheduled Unless instructed otherwise by their care team patients should continue to attend appointments as scheduled
ppYes Our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing care Caring for our patients remains our highest priority We understand there may be concerns but our workforce is well trained in providing patient care with established downtime procedures
ppOur teams are working directly with any patient whose appointment or procedure will need to be rescheduled Unless instructed otherwise by their care team patients should continue to attend appointments as scheduled
ppOur hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing care Safely caring for our patients remains our highest priority as we navigate this cybersecurity incident ppOur hospitals and facilities including emergency departments remain open and are providing care Caring for our patients remains our highest priority We understand there may be concerns but our workforce is well trained in providing patient care with established downtime procedures
ppIf you are experiencing a medical emergency please contact 911 and your local emergency services will bring you to the nearest hospital emergency room
ppCaring for our patients remains our highest priority We understand there may be concerns but our workforce is well trained in providing patient care with established downtime procedures ppYes All Ascension patients can now access their patient portal However medical records and other information collected between May 8 and the date of local EHR restoration may be temporarily inaccessible as we work to upload the information collected during the system downtime For record availability during that time frame please contact your clinicians office directly Please note that due to high volumes response to portal messages may experience a slight delayppYes Ascension Rx Pharmacies can process and ship prescriptions Please note that there may be a slight delay in processing and shipping at this timeppThis is because we are experiencing higher than average call volumes We look forward to serving you as soon as we are able If you continue to have concerns you can call our national call center at 18884934817 and we will do our best to assist you If you are experiencing a medical emergency please dial 911 and local emergency services will transport you to the most appropriate hospital emergency roomppYour SmartHealth app is available again However some recent claims may be delayed in appearing in the appppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 12 1045am CTppWe have made progress in our investigation and recovery with the help of thirdparty cybersecurity experts At this point we now have evidence that indicates that the attackers were able to take files from a small number of file servers used by our associates primarily for daily and routine tasks These servers represent seven of the approximately 25000 servers across our network Though we are still investigating we believe some of those files may contain Protected Health Information PHI and Personally Identifiable Information PII for certain individuals although the specific data may differ from individual to individualppWe have also identified how the attacker gained access to our systems An individual working in one of our facilities accidentally downloaded a malicious file that they thought was legitimate We have no reason to believe this was anything but an honest mistakeppImportantly we have no evidence that data was taken from our Electronic Health Records EHR and other clinical systems where our full patient records are securely storedppRight now we dont know precisely what data was potentially affected and for which patients In order to reach those conclusions we need to conduct a full review of the files that may have been impacted and carefully analyze them While we have started this process it is a significant undertaking that will take time In the meantime to provide our patients and associates with the greatest peace of mind possible we are offering complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to any Ascension patient or associate who requests it free of charge and regardless of whether we determine in the future that their data was actually involved in this incidentppIndividuals who wish to enroll in free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services should call our dedicated call center at 18884988066ppWe encourage all Ascension patients and staff who are concerned to take advantage of these services We want to be clear however that this offer does not mean we have determined that any specific individual patients data has been compromised Rather it illustrates our desire to do everything possible to reassure our patients and associates regardless of any impact to specific individuals datappWe understand individuals may have questions about their data including whether it was affected but at this point we are not able to answer those questions on an individual basis Once our data analysis is complete however we are committed to following all applicable laws and regulations to notify affected individuals and the appropriate regulatory bodies To our patients associates and the communities we serve we regret any disruption or concern you may have experienced as a result of this incidentppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 11 130pm CTppAscension is pleased to report that we have successfully restored EHR access inppWe are still working toward completing Electronic Health Record EHR restoration across our ministry by June 14thppAs EHR is restored across the entirety of our network clinicians will be able to access patient records electronically as they did prior to this incident Patients who receive care in those markets can also access their patient portal as they normally wouldppHowever please note that medical records and other information between May 8th and the date of local EHR restoration may not be accessible as we work to upload the information collected during the system downtime For record availability during that time frame please contact your clinicians office Please note that due to high volumes responses to portal messages may experience a slight delayppWe sincerely thank our patients and community for your support and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 7 400pm CTppAscension continues to work expeditiously alongside industryleading cybersecurity experts in our efforts to safely restore systems across our network Please know our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing patient care Patients should continue to visit the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basisppAscension continues to make progress in our efforts to safely restore systems across our network Restoring our Electronic Health Record EHR continues to be among one of the top priorities of our recovery processppTo date we have successfully restored EHR access in our Florida Alabama Tennessee Maryland Central Texas Ascension Seton and Dell Childrens hospitals and Oklahoma markets We are still working toward completing EHR restoration across our entire ministry by June 14ppFor patients who receive care in Florida Alabama Tennessee Maryland Central Texas and Oklahoma access to your patient portal has been restored However please note that medical records and other information between May 8th and June 6th may not be accessible as we work to update the portal with information collected during the system downtime For record availability during that time frame please contact your clinicians office Please note that due to high volumes responses to portal messages may experience a slight delayppThank you to our patients and community for your patience and support and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 5 925am CTppAscension continues to work expeditiously alongside industryleading cybersecurity experts in our efforts to safely restore systems across our network Please know our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing patient care Patients should continue to visit the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basisppAs we have previously communicated restoring Electronic Health Record EHR access has been among the top priorities of our recovery process We are encouraged to report positive developments in these efforts and can announce that we have successfully restored EHR access in our Florida Alabama Tennessee Maryland and Central Texas Ascension Seton and Dell Childrens hospitals marketsppBased on what we have learned about this process to date we are working toward completing EHR restoration across our entire ministry by the end of the week ending June 14ppAs EHR is restored across the entirety of our networks clinicians will be able to access patient records as they did prior to this incident While these are promising developments in our recovery efforts our investigation into this incident remains ongoing along with the remediation of additional systems This is a complex process and it will still take time to completeppAdditionally Ascension Rx retail home delivery and specialty pharmacy sites are now open and able to meet your prescription needs This means that healthcare providers are able to transmit prescriptions electronically and can send prescriptions to Ascension Rx pharmacies for their patientsppFinally we again want to thank our patients and community for your support through this time and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppJune 4 600am CTppAscension continues to work expeditiously alongside industryleading cybersecurity experts in our efforts to safely restore systems across our network Please know our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing patient care Patients should continue to visit the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basisppAs we have previously communicated restoring Electronic Health Record EHR access has been among the top priorities of our recovery process We are encouraged to report positive developments in these efforts and can announce that we have successfully restored EHR access in our Florida Alabama and Austin marketsppBased on what we have learned about this process to date we are working toward completing EHR restoration across our entire ministry by the end of the week ending June 14ppAs EHR is restored across the entirety of our networks clinicians will be able to access patient records as they did prior to this incident While these are promising developments in our recovery efforts our investigation into this incident remains ongoing along with the remediation of additional systems This is a complex process and it will still take time to completeppAdditionally Ascension Rx retail home delivery and specialty pharmacy sites are now open and able to meet your prescription needs This means that healthcare providers are able to transmit prescriptions electronically and can send prescriptions to Ascension Rx pharmacies for their patientsppFinally we again want to thank our patients and community for your support through this time and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 29 625pm CT
ppAscension continues to work around the clock with industryleading cybersecurity experts to safely restore systems across our network Please know our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing safe care Patients should continue to monitor the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basis
ppRestoring Electronic Health Record EHR access has been among the top priorities of our recovery process Due to the hard work of our teams over the past several days we have successfully restored EHR access in our first market and are actively progressing a plan to restore access across our network on a rolling basis
ppWe want to sincerely thank our patients and community for your support and to our dedicated clinicians who continue to provide quality careppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 24 849am CTppAscension continues to work around the clock with industryleading cybersecurity experts to safely restore operations across our network We are hopeful that after the weekend our patients and clinicians will see progress across our points of care Many of our vendors and partners have also started the process of reconnecting to our network and resuming services with Ascension which should help to accelerate our overall recoveryppUntil that time please know that our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing care Patients should continue to monitor the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basisppWe also want to extend a sincere note of gratitude to our dedicated clinicians who are providing care under challenging circumstances The compassion and resilience you have displayed throughout this event is truly remarkable and is emblematic of Ascensions mission to improve the health of the individuals and communities we serveppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 21 845am CTppAscension continues to work with industryleading cybersecurity experts to investigate the recent
ransomware attack and to rebuild and restore our systems securely While this process continues in
earnest our hospitals and facilities remain open and are providing care Patients should continue to
monitor the regional updates portion of this webpage for the latest information on a statebystate basis
ppToday we also kicked off a series of regular touchpoints with our critical partners and vendors in order to
provide them with important information to assist with restoring their connection to the Ascension network
As we make progress in both restoring operations and reconnecting our partners into the network we will
continue to relay both general and statebystate updates on this page Please check back regularly for
new information
ppThank you for your support as we continue to respond to this incidentppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 15 423pm CTppAscension continues to make progress towards restoration and recovery following the recent ransomware
attack We continue to work with industry leading forensic experts from Mandiant to conduct our
investigation into this attack and understand the root cause and how this incident occurred In parallel we
have brought in additional cybersecurity experts from Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 and from CYPFER to help
supplement our rebuild and restoration efforts We are focused on getting systems back up and running
as safely and as quickly as possible We are also working on reconnecting with our vendors with the help
of our recovery experts Please be aware that it may still take some time to return to normal operations
ppOur priority remains providing quality patient care and relaying uptodate information when available as
we work through this recovery process Please continue to refer to this website page along with the
regional update pages for more information We encourage anyone seeking information surrounding the
incident or with questions about the operational status of Ascension facilities to visit this page for the
latest updates
ppAs we continue to progress in these recovery and restoration efforts we want to express a sincere thank
you to our patients and community for your patience and support through this difficult timeppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 13 430pm CTppAscension previously reported that it experienced a ransomware attack that has caused disruptions to patient care in its network Our priority remains on providing safe patient care
Ascension with the support of leading cybersecurity experts worked around the clock over
the weekend to respond to the ransomware incident affecting our systems We are focused on restoring systems safely We are making progress however it will take time to return to normal operations As systems and services come back online we will share those updates so that our patients and communities can plan accordingly
We have established a dedicated website to share any updates we have across our system We will be expanding the site this week to provide updates related to healthcare services as they relate to specific regions
ppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppMay 11 200pm CTppWe continue to diligently investigate and address the recent ransomware incident working closely with industry leading cybersecurity experts to assist in our investigation and restoration and recovery efforts Additionally we have notified law enforcement as well as government partners including the FBI the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA the Department of Health and Human Services HHS and the American Hospital Association AHA We remain in close contact with the FBI and CISA and we are sharing relevant threat intelligence with the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center HISAC so that our industry partners and peers can take steps to protect themselves from similar incidents
ppWhile our restoration work continues in earnest our focus is on restoring systems as safely as possible While we expect this process will take time to complete we are making progress and systems are being restored in a coordinated manner at each of our care sites We will continue to share updates on our recovery process ppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokespersonppOn May 8 Ascension detected unusual activity in our network systems We have determined this is a cybersecurity incident We are working around the clock with internal and external advisors to investigate contain and restore our systems following a thorough validation and screening process Our investigation and restoration work will take time to complete and we do not have a timeline for completion
ppSafely caring for patients remains our highest priority as we navigate this cybersecurity incident We are actively supporting our ministries as they continue to provide safe patient care with established downtime protocols and procedures in which our workforce is well trained It is expected that we will be utilizing downtime procedures for some time Patients should bring to their appointment notes on their symptoms and a list of current medications and prescription numbers or the prescription bottles so their care team can call in medication needs to pharmacies
ppSystems that are currently unavailable include our electronic health records system MyChart which enables patients to view their medical records and communicate with their providers some phone systems and various systems utilized to order certain tests procedures and medications We have implemented established protocols and procedures to address these particular system disruptions in order to continue to provide safe care to patients Out of an abundance of caution however some nonemergent elective procedures tests and appointments have been temporarily paused while we work to bring systems back online Our teams are working directly with any patient whose appointment or procedure will need to be rescheduled We understand the frustration this may cause and sincerely regret any inconvenience to our patients
ppDue to downtime procedures several hospitals are currently on diversion for emergency medical services in order to ensure emergency cases are triaged immediately If you are experiencing a medical emergency please contact 911 and your local emergency services will bring you to the nearest hospital emergency room
ppWe are beyond grateful for the hard work and dedication of our care teams across the system and their continued commitment to our patients We also thank our patients and our community for their continued support and patience during this time as we work through a diligent timeintensive process to restore systems as quickly and as safely as possible To ensure all patients staff and stakeholders are kept informed during this event we will continue to post updated information on our website as it becomes availableppNote for Media The statement below can be attributed to an Ascension spokesperson
For updates please visit aboutascensionorgcybersecurityevent
ppOn Wednesday May 8 we detected unusual activity on select technology network systems which we now believe is due to a cybersecurity event At this time we continue to investigate the situation We responded immediately initiated our investigation and activated our remediation efforts Access to some systems have been interrupted as this process continues
ppOur care teams are trained for these kinds of disruptions and have initiated procedures to ensure patient care delivery continues to be safe and as minimally impacted as possible There has been a disruption to clinical operations and we continue to assess the impact and duration of the disruption
ppWe have engaged Mandiant a third party expert to assist in the investigation and remediation process and we have notified the appropriate authorities Together we are working to fully investigate what information if any may have been affected by the situation Should we determine that any sensitive information was affected we will notify and support those individuals in accordance with all relevant regulatory and legal guidelines
ppWe are reaching out to our business partners to ensure they are aware of the situation so they can take appropriate steps to safeguard their systems We encourage all business partners to coordinate with the Ascension Technology partners to address any specific questions
ppThis is an ongoing situation and we will provide updates on our website as we learn more p
