HSHS restores MyChart electronic health records platform after two-and-a-half week outage
Springfield-based Hospital Sisters Health System said Tuesday it successfully restored functionality to its electronic health records platform after nearly two-and-a-half weeks of being inoperable because of a cybersecurity attack.
The announcement came via an HSHS webpage dedicated to updates from the attack.
The EPIC platform includes MyChart applications, which help patients schedule, manage, and check in for appointments; message care teams; pay bills; get test results and after-visit instructions and request prescription refills.
HSHS chief executive confirms system-wide outage was caused by 'cybersecurity incident'
Hospital system officials acknowledged the outage on Aug. 27. In a video, HSHS president and chief executive officer Damond W. Boatwright referred to the attack as "a cybersecurity incident."
HSHS representatives said "federal law enforcement" was investigating the case. Rebecca Cramblit, a public affairs officer for FBI Springfield, told The State Journal-Register last week that "per FBI policy, we cannot confirm or deny whether we are or are not conducting an investigation."
Last week, HSHS reported that nearly all its hospital and clinic phone lines were back in service though some usage was intermittent. Email also was functioning.
HSHS representatives haven't indicated whether patient or employee records were compromised as a result of the attack. It noted earlier that if any patients' sensitive and personal information was leaked, "we will notify them in accordance with applicable law."
The HSHS message said it remained "focused on restoring the rest of our systems in a methodical manner, which will take time to complete, though it did not provide an immediate timeline.
The post also said it would respond to patient messages as quickly as possible and encouraged patients to reach out to their healthcare provider’s office to speak with a member of their healthcare team should they require urgent assistance.
The Catholic nonprofit health system operates 15 hospitals around Illinois and Wisconsin, including HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield and HSHS St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield, along with a number of other clinics.
The attack also hit Prevea Health, which partners with six HSHS hospitals in Wisconsin.
Contact Steven Spearie: (217) 622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: HSHS hit by a cyber attack has restored MyChart electronic records
