Appalachian Regional Healthcare back online after cyberattack cripples system for nearly 3 weeks
Provider had been working on emergency plan in which patient-care, registration, medication, other services were handled manually.
McDowell ARH Hospital-McDowell, Kentucky
Appalachian Regional Healthcare system is back online after an almost three-week shutdown of computer systems and electronic services following a crippling cyberattack that the system first announced to the public in late August.
ARH said on their website that operations are "returning to normal" at ARH facilities in Kentucky and West Virginia, with computerized clinical and electronic communication systems coming back to full function.
"At this time, all ARH hospitals, home health, retail pharmacies and various clinics are back online," the system said.
The system had been working on an emergency operations plan in which all patient-care, registration, medication, imaging and laboratory services were being handled manually. Critical patients were being assessed to determine whether they should be transferred to another facility.
[Also: Cyberattack disables computer systems, electronic services for Appalachian Regional Healthcare]
Computers had been shut down early on in the attack in order to prevent further spread of the virus throughout ARH's system.
"At this time, ARH presently has no reason to believe that the protected health information or any financial information of its patients or employees has been accessed," the system said.
The cyberattack is under investigation by federal authorities. ARH said they have been asked not to discuss specifics surrounding the cyberattack.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn
