Cyber ​​incident leaves Palomar Health Medical Group patient without medication

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) — More than six weeks after critical computers first went down, a local medical group is still crippled by a suspected cyberattack, preventing patients from easily obtaining prescriptions and scheduling doctor’s appointments.

Team 10 has heard from several Palomar Health Medical Group patients who say they are unable to renew important prescriptions or access their medical records to obtain their medications from another provider.

“I have two pills left. I’m wondering what the hell I’m going to do now,” said Patricia Ryan, a Rancho Bernardo resident who takes medication for high blood pressure.

Ryan told Team 10 that despite personal attempts, she had not been able to get a new prescription from Palomar or see her cardiologist.

A suspected cyberattack discovered on May 5^th has resulted in the organization’s phones, computer systems, and patient records portal being down.

Ryan said that when she only had two pills left, she finally went to see a doctor at Scripps Health who was able to get her the medication she needed.

“I was afraid I was going to have a heart attack. I was afraid my blood pressure would get so out of control that I would end up having to be taken to the emergency room by ambulance to avoid a heart attack,” she said.

Change in management

Team 10 has been trying for weeks to get answers from Palomar through a PR agency commissioned by the organization.

We asked what information might have been stolen, whether a ransom demand is being made, and what patients should do if they do not receive their medication despite coming in person for a refill.

A spokesperson for InnoVision Marketing Group said the company would follow up with an update as soon as it received one from Palomar.

The medical group did not answer our questions.

Team 10 has learned that there has been a leadership change at Palomar Health Medical Group.

Russell Riehl, currently listed on the company’s website as vice president of operations, is now serving as interim CEO.

InnoVision spokeswoman Bianca Kasawdish said the change in management would be announced in an upcoming press release. She did not provide further details.

Ryan, who teaches a business management course, said she believes Palomar “failed miserably” in handling the cyber incident. She wants the organization to release specific information about the incident and wants to know whether her medical records were compromised.

Patient data compromised in the past

“The first thing someone wants to know in a crisis is, ‘Is everything going to be OK? Are you going to reassure me?’ What steps are you taking to make sure everything is OK?”

Team 10 has confirmed that this is not the first time a cyber incident has occurred at Palomar.

Violation reports sent to the state show that two flash drives were stolen from an employee’s vehicle in 2014. The USB drives contained confidential patient information.

In 2017, a Palomar employee accidentally sent an email containing patient information to an unauthorized person, according to a notice filed with the state.

Last year, Palomar reported to the state that an unauthorized person had improperly accessed its third-party provider’s computer systems. Patients’ names, addresses, social security numbers and health insurance information were compromised.

In a statement published on 12 June^th In an email to patients, Riehl said the internet at Palomar remained down and doctors had limited access to medical records.

Palomar announces improvements

“While this may cause some delays compared to normal operations, our team is committed to providing the best care possible under these circumstances. We continue to receive lab results, radiology reports, referrals to specialists and patient messages via secure inbound faxes and an external call center.”

Riehl said Palomar expects improvements this week, starting with restoring internet access and patient records.

“This will improve the ability to contact your doctor’s office, schedule appointments, reorder prescriptions electronically and restore full electronic access to laboratory and radiology reports directly in the electronic system for the doctor,” he said.

But Ryan told Team 10 it was too late for them.

Although she was very satisfied with the care she received from her cardiologist at Palomar, she says she has decided to leave the organization and transfer all of her care to Scripps.

“I’ve had enough.”