Ascension announces full EHR restoration after cyberattack disruption
Editor's Note Ascension has restored electronic health records (EHRs) throughout all hospitals and clinics nationwide, according to a June 14 update from the St. Louis-based health system. "Clinical workflow in our hospitals and clinics will function similarly to the way it did prior to the ransomware attack," the statement reads,…
OR am – 6-12-2024
June 12, 2024 Preoperative antibiotics Listen now: Improving antibiotic utilization in surgical patients at orthopedic ASCs 3D-printed stem cell patches show promise as heart surgery alternative Using a patient’s stem cells to 3D-print patches to place over damaged areas of the heart could provide an alternative…
Tech giants announce plans to bolster rural hospital cybersecurity
Editor's Note Microsoft and Google announced they will offer free or discounted cybersecurity services to rural hospitals in the U.S. to help protect against cyberattacks, CNN reported on June 10. According to the article, Microsoft will provide free security updates, assessments, and staff training, while Google will offer free cybersecurity…
HHS: Change Healthcare responsible for cyberattack data breach notifications
Editor's Note Change Healthcare is responsible for notifying affected parties about privacy breaches resulting from the February cyberattack on the company, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced May 31. The announcement took the form of an update to an FAQ webpage from HHS’ Office for Civil…
Built to grow: Key elements of planning a new ASC
Are you part of the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) construction boom? Approximately 116 new facilities opened in 2023, according to Becker’s ASC Review, and more are planned for and underway in 2024. The upward trend shows no signs of slowing. Fortune Business Insights projects the US ambulatory surgery center market…
OR am – 5-21-2024
May 21, 2024 Workforce development Listen now: Retention of new nurses in the cardiovascular operating room Cybersecurity initiative devotes $50 million to help hospitals combat ransomware A $50 million initiative to develop cybersecurity tools for hospitals aims to protect providers and patients alike from ransomware, according…
Cybersecurity initiative devotes $50 million to help hospitals combat ransomware
Editor's Note A $50 million initiative to develop cybersecurity tools for hospitals aims to protect providers and patients alike from ransomware, according to a May 20 report in Becker’s Health IT. The Universal PatchinG and Remediation for Autonomous DEfense, or UPGRADE, program was launched the same day by the Advanced Research…
Prolific ransomware group targets healthcare, prompts official warning
Editor's Note Black Basta, reportedly the second most prolific ransomware group in the world, has healthcare organizations firmly in its crosshairs, according to a May 13 article in the Hippa Journal. Citing a May 10 bulletin on the group from Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center Healht-ISAC, the article notes…
OR am – 5-2-2024
May 2, 2024 OR efficiency Listen now: Military treatment facility improves surgical block utilization Kaiser Permanente data breach affects 13.4 million A recent data breach at Kaiser Permanente could impact as many as 13.4 million people who are part of the healthcare conglomerate’s Kaiser Foundation Health…
Hospitals boost cybersecurity budgets, staff
Editor's Note Hospital head counts and budgets reflect a growing emphasis on cybersecurity, according to a recent Moody’s Investment Service report. As detailed in an April 25 report in Becker’s Health IT, the Moody’s report is based on data from 148 healthcare organizations, 77% of which are hospitals. Cybersecurity team…