The Big Story 

Cyberattacks that target one hospital could also have ripple effects and indirectly impact nearby health care facilities, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

© Shawn Rocco/Duke Health via AP

The study found that hospitals near a health care facility that was impacted by a ransomware attack may experience an influx of patients and lack resources that could affect time-sensitive matters. 

Other disruptions may include an increase in ambulance arrivals, waiting room times, patients left without being seen and patient length of stay.

The authors of the study concluded that the hospital disruptions tied to a cyberattack “should be considered a regional disaster.”

“This study suggests that health care cyberattacks such as ransomware are associated with greater disruptions to regional hospitals and should be treated as disasters, necessitating coordinated planning and response efforts,” the authors said. 

Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we’re Rebecca Klar and Ines Kagubare — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.

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