"Healthcare Ransomware Attacks Lead to Increased Patient Mortality"

A study commissioned by Censinet and conducted by the Ponemon Institute surveyed 597 healthcare organizations, including regional health systems, community hospitals, and integrated delivery networks. One in four of the respondents reported an increase in patient mortality rates after ransomware attacks. Ransomware attacks against healthcare organizations often result in financial strain, the disruption of patient care, and time-consuming recovery operations, but this new study brings attention to increased patient mortality as the aftermath of a cyberattack. There has been a drop in confidence regarding risk mitigation due to COVID-19. More than 60 percent of the respondents reported that they have little to no confidence that their organization could mitigate the risks of ransomware, compared to 55 percent prior to the pandemic. Previous research highlighted the significant increases in healthcare data breach costs since the start of the pandemic, with the average cost per incident being $9.23 million. However, little was known about how data security incidents can impact patient safety. Over 70 percent of the respondents revealed that healthcare ransomware attacks led to longer stays for patients as well as delays in medical procedures and tests. Nearly 65 percent of the respondents reported an increase in the number of patients being redirected to other facilities, while 36 percent revealed an increase in complications from medical procedures. This article continues to discuss the reported increase in patient mortality rates resulting from ransomware attacks and other key findings from the Ponemon Institute's new study, such as healthcare organizations' increased reliance on third-party business associates to digitize health information and supply medical devices. 

HealthITSecurity reports "Healthcare Ransomware Attacks Lead to Increased Patient Mortality"