Ransomware attack continues to disrupt services at 2 NJ hospitals
Services were still being disrupted at two North Jersey hospitals Thursday a week after hackers attacked its parent company causing problems at medical centers in several states, a spokesperson confirmed.
Computer systems remained offline at Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood. Although the hospitals were no longer diverting all patients from its emergency rooms as it had done for several days this week, staff were continuing to postpone non-emergency procedures Thursday.
"Some non-emergent, elective surgeries have been temporarily paused while we work to bring systems back online," said Chiara Marababol, a spokesperson for the two hospitals.
The ransomware attack — where hackers disable a computer system and demand money to return it to normal — happened on Thanksgiving morning to Ardent Health, which operates 30 hospitals nationwide. The company took its computer network offline but executives have not said how much medical or financial information was stolen.
Hospitals no longer on divert status
Pascack Valley and Mountainside, which are jointly owner by Ardent and Hackensack Meridian Health, began turning ambulances away from its emergency rooms.
More: Two Hackensack Meridian hospital ERs diverting patients after a ransomware attack
The two hospitals were no longer on divert status Thursday and were providing "a medical screening exam and stabilizing care" to patients, Marababol said.
But that could change.
"Because this is rapidly changing and dependent upon a number of factors, our status may continue to change as the situation changes," Marababol said.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ hospitals still disrupted by recent ransomware attack
