Ascension suspends non-urgent appointments and procedures following a cybersecurity incident

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Ascension Hospitals announced a pause on non-urgent elective surgeries, tests and appointments Thursday due to a cybersecurity incident.

The pause is one of several updates Ascension provided Thursday evening, a day after the hospital system noted “unusual activity” in its systems.

“Out of an abundance of caution… some non-urgent elective procedures, testing and appointments have been temporarily suspended while we work to bring systems back online,” Ascension’s statement said. “Our teams work directly with any patient whose appointment or procedure needs to be rescheduled. We understand the frustration this can cause and sincerely regret the inconvenience this may cause to our patients.”

In addition, patients were asked to bring notes about their symptoms as well as a list of current medications and prescription numbers or prescription bottles to their appointments. According to Ascension representatives, this will allow employees to call pharmacies for medication needs.

As of Thursday evening, some of Ascension’s systems were still down due to the cybersecurity incident.

These include MyChart, an electronic health record system, some telephone systems, and systems for ordering some tests and medications.

Additionally, several hospitals in Ascension are relying on diversion for emergency medical services.

First responders refer patients to other hospitals in the area.

Ascension did not specify which hospitals are currently affected by the diversion.

The Sedgwick County release confirmed Wednesday that patients were diverted to hospitals other than Ascension.

On Thursday afternoon, they confirmed they had terminated diversion for trauma, stroke, burns and STEMI.

“We are working around the clock with internal and external consultants to investigate, contain and recover our systems following a thorough validation and review process,” Ascension’s statement said.

According to Ascension officials, there is no timeline for completion of the investigation and restoration work.

Ascension cyber attack on employees

Elaine Stephen, founder and coordinator of Wichita Hearts for Healers, an organization that works to support health care workers, says workers were already under great strain long before the pandemic and situations like this only slowed the work.

Union nurses told KSN they are using paper charts to track care and submit some requests. Stephen says this will make processes take longer and asks the public for patience.

“We don’t know what extra work they have to do, so each of us as a community can help by being a little more patient, by giving grace and acknowledging that we don’t know what we don’t know” about what these employees are dealing with struggling in healthcare,” Stephen said.

She hopes more recognition from the community will improve the morale of these workers.