Ransomware Attack Disrupts Wyoming Health Services
- tech-tips
- 23 Sep, 2019
Healthcare in Wyoming has been seriously disrupted after a ransomware attack brought down the computer systems of Campbell County Health.
Campbell County Health (CCH), which is based in Gillette, includes Campbell County Memorial Hospital, a 90-bed acute-care community hospital; Campbell County Medical Group, with nearly 20 clinics; The Legacy Living & Rehabilitation Center long-term care center; and the Powder River Surgery Center.
All of CCH's 1500 computers and its email server were affected by the attack, which took place on Friday morning, September 20. As a result, surgeries have been canceled, and new inpatient admissions have ceased.
All of today's appointments in the cancer center's radiation oncology department were canceled, and no outpatient lab, respiratory therapy, blood draws, or radiology exams or procedures are being carried out.
The attack prompted the hospital to go "on full divert," meaning patients arriving at the emergency room or walk-in clinic are triaged then transferred to an alternative care facility, if needed.
Other hospitals in the region have been informed of the situation and are working with CCH to provide urgent care, although two of them, Casper and Rapid City, were already full when news of the attack broke.