CommonSpirit Health said Wednesday that it is still working to return to normal operations after it was hit by a ransomware attack more than a month ago.
A majority of the providers affected have regained access to electronic health records, CommonSpirit said. Most patients can access patient portals to review their medical histories. However, the system is still working to restore online appointment scheduling.
“We’re working diligently every day to bring systems online and restore full functionality as quickly and safely as possible,” CommonSpirit said in a statement.
The ransomware attack has interrupted access to electronic health records and delayed patient care in multiple regions.
It’s unclear if sensitive patient data was stolen in the attack. CommonSpirit said it is still investigating alongside top cybersecurity specialists. The system has notified law enforcement of the cyberattack.
“We recognize that our stakeholders may have questions about their data, and we continue to conduct a thorough forensics investigation and review of our systems – which, in part, seeks to determine if any data was impacted,” the system announced.
CommonSpirit is one of the nation’s largest health systems with 142 hospitals spanning 21 states.
The Chicago-based system was formed just three years ago following a megamerger between San Francisco-based Dignity Health and Colorado-based Catholic Health Initiatives.
The Catholic Health Initiatives facilities have been hit hardest by the attack. The system has said there has been no impact on Dignity Health, Virginia Mason Medical Center, TriHealth or Centura Health facilities.
Security experts previously told Healthcare Dive that mergers can pose “huge” cybersecurity risks to health systems like CommonSpirit.
Last week, CommonSpirit announced it had hired an executive with a military background to lead IT security. Daniel Barchi took the helm as chief information officer on Monday, and his first task will be to assist in the ongoing response to the attack.