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CIO
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HEALTH
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Appalachian Regional Healthcare Back Online 3
Weeks After Cyberattack
By Akanksha Jayanthi
I
n mid-September, Appalachian Regional Healthcare brought its
computer systems back online three weeks aer shutting them down
to stop the spread of a computer virus.
e Lexington, Ky.-based health system said Aug. 27 it was operating on
an emergency operations plan due to a computer virus that limited its
use of electronic, web-based services. e health system shut down all
ARH computers to prevent the virus from spreading.
In that time, patient care, registration, medication, imaging and labora-
tory services were "being managed manually," according to the health
system. While ARH emergency departments continued to accept pa-
tients, providers were evaluating critical patients to see if they should be
transferred to other medical facilities for care.
During the downtime, ARH asked patients to bring prescribed medica-
tions and medical history information with them to physician appoint-
ments or when going to the ED.
ARH operates 10 hospitals across eastern Kentucky and southern West
Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health
agencies and retail pharmacies.
e health system announced Sept. 15 all ARH hospitals, home health,
retail pharmacies and various clinics were back online. ARH says it has
no reason to believe any protected health information or financial in-
formation of patients or employees was accessed. Federal authorities are
still investigating the cyberattack. n
BECKER'S
HOSPITAL REVIEW
8
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April 17-20, 2017
Hyatt Regency, Chicago
To Register:
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visit beckershospitalreview.com/conference/
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