IT chaos after hacker attack: Harz clinic fights with patient growth!

IT chaos after hacker attack: Harz clinic fights with patient growth!

Quedlinburg, Deutschland - A severe cyber attack on the IT systems of the AmeOS clinics has far-reaching consequences. In a surprising step, the complete network communication was switched off on Monday evening to protect the systems. The attack, which took place at the beginning of the month, not only affects the Ameos clinics itself, but also massively burdened the surrounding health facilities in the Harz district. So reports MDR that is very difficult, which makes many emergency services very difficult are forced to transport emergencies to the Harz Clinic. This has led to a noticeable additional burden of around 40 percent in the Harz clinic, especially during the holiday and disease wave.

In the clinics Quedlinburg and Wernigerode, an increase in patient recordings has been recorded since then, which is particularly problematic for emergency care. Christian Hirsch, the nursing director of the emergency room, reports on additional patients who often have to deal with accidents or internal problems. The pressure is reinforced by the insufficient capacity in the emergency room. Not only are rooms missing here, but there is also no second shock, which is why the Harz clinic at the state of Saxony-Anhalt has submitted an expansion application.

challenges from the cyber attack

according to T-Online are over 100 health facilities at more than 50 locations. The AMEOS clinics are otherwise established in the supply of more than 500,000 people annually in various facilities. Due to the cyber attack, there is now a significant restriction in the clinic. Emails that are essential for communication with general practitioners and pharmacies fail in several houses, which significantly disturbs the proven processes.

The lack of digital communication also means that the exchange of important medical data, such as X -ray images and laboratory values, no longer works. Despite these setbacks, the AMEOS group emphasized that patient care can be ensured at all times. The emergency rooms and essential therapeutic and diagnostic services remained available. Operation companies should now run normal again according to the company.

increasing threat in the health system

The incident also makes a highlight of the increasingly uncertain situation in the healthcare system. According to a study by the Hasso Plattner Institute, the number of successful cyber attacks on hospitals rose by a terrifying 74 percent between 2020 and 2024. it daily that these facilities are particularly susceptible to cyber criminals through sensitive patient data and critical infrastructures. In the worst case, an IT failure can even cost life because essential systems can be paralyzed.

It remains to be hoped that the AmeOS clinics and other affected institutions will learn from this incident and strengthen their security measures. The attack once again showed how important a proactive approach to cyber security is in medicine, especially in view of the planned introduction of the electronic patient file, which carries additional risks.

The developments of the next few weeks and months will be crucial to see whether the current measures to restore the systems are successful and how the clinics react to be able to better ward off future attacks.