Margaretville Hospital resumes services after cyberattack

The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·2 min read

Oct. 23—Margaretville Hospital and HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston resumed admitting emergency patients Saturday night after the hospitals were hit with a cyberattack.

The hospitals had been diverting patients to other facilities after the cyberattack affected computer systems at the two hospitals and the Mountainside Residential Care Center in Margaretville, hospital officials said. The three facilities are part of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network.

"The end of the EMS diversion has been communicated to all EMS operators, other area medical facilities who were impacted, elected officials and the New York State Department of Health," network officials said in a statement.

While the two hospitals diverted ambulances to other hospitals, they "remained open during this diversion, and walk-in patients were treated, assessed and either released or stabilized," the statement said. There was no disruption to care at Mountainside Residential Care Center, a skilled nursing facility adjacent to the hospital in Margaretville.

"To address the threat and take the necessary steps to fully restore our secure network, on Friday, Oct. 20, our IT experts shut down all connected IT systems at HealthAlliance Hospital, Margaretville Hospital and Mountainside Residential Care Center," the statement said. "We then began standing up our IT systems, a process that is ongoing but we have regained all necessary capabilities to resume full operations."

Josh Ratner, HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley CEO and executive vice president, issued a statement about the attack. "I want to applaud everyone at HealthAlliance Hospital, Margaretville Hospital and Mountainside Residential Care Center for all of their hard work and dedication while facing an incredibly difficult situation, helping us return to full operations sooner than expected while continuing to provide the best possible care for patients in our community," he said. "This helped demonstrate the strength of the entire WMCHealth Network, with hospitals, physicians, nurses and administrators from across the network playing a vital role in making sure our patients were cared for as we worked to regain full operations, resume admitting patients and minimize any impacts of this disruption."

The cyberattack is being investigated by local law enforcement authorities along with the FBI and an independent cybersecurity firm.

The network will provide further information to the community as it becomes available, the statement said.