Patients with PIH Health were unable to communicate with their healthcare providers Tuesday, Dec. 3 after a ransomware virus attack over the weekend led to an entire network shutdown, officials said.
The ransomware virus reportedly infected a segment of the healthcare network’s system on Sunday, Dec. 1. As a security precaution, the entire network was taken offline by I.T. staff, affecting information technology and communication systems, PIH officials said. This includes phone calls, voice, and internet messages at three hospitals in Downey, Los Angeles, and Whittier, along with outpatient facilities and home health agencies, PIH Health spokesperson Amanda Enriquez said.
Phone lines for all three hospitals have been re-routed to operators at PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital operators, where the lines remain functional.
The majority of in-person services remain open and patients with scheduled appointments are asked to arrive “a little early” as offices work under downtime procedures. Any cancelled procedures will be communicated directly to the patient, Enriquez added.
With the assistance of third-party cyber forensic specialists, the ransomware virus has been isolated and personnel are working to securely restore the network systems, officials said. At this time, it is unclear if any patient information has been compromised or when the investigation will be complete and communication systems will be fully restored, officials said in a statement.
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