FLINT, Mich. (Aug. 7, 2024) — McLaren Health Care confirmed Wednesday that a criminal cyber attack was responsible for the disruption to its information technology and phone systems reported on Tuesday.
The health care provider is working with external cybersecurity experts to assess the attack’s nature and mitigate its impacts. It has not yet been determined if any patient or employee data was compromised.
Sources tell Dave Bondy the instructions from the attackers printed out the ransomeware instructions on printers throughout McLaren medical facilities.
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The following comments are from employees about the impact of the attack:
A McLaren employee sent me the following comment, ” The issues are with the entire network throughout the entire health system. Every McLaren hospital, every McLaren doctor office and every satellite office of any sort is affected. No phones or computers are operational, including cell phones and pagers/beepers. Everything is now pen and paper when all records are electronic and can not be accessed. We can’t even access our email on our personal phones. They have no information to provide to the staff and have no idea of when things will be operational again.”
Tim Lane commented on Facebook saying, “The computers were down when my wife had her doctor’s appointment this morning.”
Impact on Operations
Immediately after discovering the attack, McLaren hospitals and outpatient clinics initiated downtime procedures to ensure continued care delivery. Several IT systems remain in downtime procedures as efforts continue to fully restore system functionality. McLaren emphasized that it has policies and procedures in place to handle IT disruptions and that staff receive training for such emergencies.
“We are grateful for the response from our frontline caregivers and staff who have come together to provide care under these circumstances,” McLaren Health Care said in a statement.
Despite the cyber attack, McLaren’s facilities remain largely operational and continue to serve the community. Emergency departments are functioning, most surgeries and procedures are being performed, and physician offices are seeing as many patients as possible. However, some non-emergent appointments, tests, and treatments are being rescheduled as a precaution during the period of limited system access.
McLaren is also working with vendor partners and insurance providers to ensure that the supply chain is not impacted and that insurance authorizations for care and treatments are processed.
Guidance for Patients
Patients with scheduled appointments are advised to attend unless contacted by McLaren’s care team. The organization is committed to working closely with any patients whose appointments are rescheduled.
During the disruption, McLaren requests that patients bring the following information to their appointments:
- A list of current medications or prescription bottles
- Printed physician orders for imaging studies or treatments
- Printed results of recent lab tests available in patient portals
- A list of allergies
Response from Team Members and the Community
McLaren Health Care expressed gratitude for the resilience and dedication shown by its team members and medical staff. The organization praised their compassion and teamwork, which have been vital in continuing to provide essential care.
“On behalf of our patients and communities, we want to extend a sincere thank you,” McLaren stated.
McLaren also apologized to the communities it serves for any inconvenience caused by the cyber attack and appreciates the understanding and support of patients, families, and visitors during this challenging time.
“Our caregivers and support teams are working as hard as ever, and the community’s patience and support is sincerely recognized and appreciated,” the statement continued.
As the investigation and recovery efforts progress, McLaren Health Care remains committed to transparency and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
