TULSA, Okla. — Ascension, the company that owns and runs Ascension St. John in Tulsa, is working to resolve a "cyber security event."
This "event" is causing EMSA to divert patients for emergency medical services from the 19th and Utica location to other emergency rooms.
"Due to downtime procedures, several hospitals are currently on diversion for emergency medical services in order to ensure emergency cases are triaged immediately," the company said.
In a statement released to 2 News, they said:
"On Wednesday, May 8, we detected unusual activity on select technology network systems, which we now believe is due to a cyber security event. At this time we continue to investigate the situation. We responded immediately, initiated our investigation and activated our remediation efforts. Access to some systems have been interrupted as this process continues.
Our care teams are trained for these kinds of disruptions and have initiated procedures to ensure patient care delivery continues to be safe and as minimally impacted as possible. There has been a disruption to clinical operations, and we continue to assess the impact and duration of the disruption.
We have engaged Mandiant, a third party expert, to assist in the investigation and remediation process, and we have notified the appropriate authorities. Together, we are working to fully investigate what information, if any, may have been affected by the situation. Should we determine that any sensitive information was affected, we will notify and support those individuals in accordance with all relevant regulatory and legal guidelines.
Out of an abundance of caution we are recommending that business partners temporarily suspend the connection to the Ascension environment. We will inform partners when it is appropriate to reconnect into our environment."
Right now, the extent of patient impact is not known. Ascension is going to keep updating the situation HERE.
2 News reached out to area hospitals to see if an influx of patients is impacting them.
Hillcrest:
Since last week, our two acute care metro hospitals have seen a slow but steady rise in both ER and transfer center volumes as we work to assist our neighbors. While our inpatient and emergency departments are much busier, our ability to deliver inpatient care has not been impacted. Diversions are not uncommon, and our teams are prepared to care for patients being brought to our facilities.
OSU Medical Center:
OSU Medical Center is prepared daily for an influx of patients. While we have seen an increase, we continue to be able to provide the best care possible.
An Ascension St. John spokesperson also released some answers to questions patients may be having:
All Ascension St. John hospitals, physician offices, and care sites across the state remain open and operational. Despite the challenges posed by the recent ransomware incident, patient safety continues to be our utmost priority. Our dedicated doctors, nurses, and care teams are demonstrating incredible thoughtfulness and resilience as we utilize manual and paper based systems during the ongoing disruption to normal systems.
We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this unexpected situation. Rest assured, our commitment to the health and safety of our community remains our highest priority.
Can I go to my doctor’s appointment?Ascension St. John Medical Partners doctor’s offices and care sites are operating with normal business hours, and all scheduled appointments are proceeding as planned.
Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays. To help with delays, patients should bring notes on symptoms and a list of current medications, including prescription numbers or bottles. In the event that appointments need to be rescheduled, an Ascension associate will contact patients directly.
Can I get my prescription filled?Certain Ascension Rx retail pharmacies in Oklahoma are not operational. Patients are being asked to bring their prescription number or prescription bottle. We will work with patients to find an alternative pathway to get a fill at another pharmacy if ours is not an option. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Are Ascension’s urgent care centers open?At this time, Ascension’s urgent care centers are fully operating. Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation and care at certain centers, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays.
Are Ascension’s emergency rooms open?All Ascension St. John emergency rooms remain open and accepting walk-in patients. Certain hospitals are currently implementing a diversion process for ambulance services for specific medical cases to ensure they are triaged most effectively. Diversion is the practice of an ambulance potentially bypassing an Ascension location to another facility. It is a normal course of operation, a fluid practice, and is dependent on a number of factors, including case severity, service lines, and availability. We are in constant communication with Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers to ensure real-time updates on facility availability.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911, and local emergency services will transport you to the most appropriate hospital emergency room.
Can I still have my surgery?Patients with upcoming scheduled elective surgeries should plan to arrive as planned unless otherwise notified. Should any rescheduling be necessary, a member of our care team will contact you directly.
Due to the transition to manual systems for patient documentation, patients may encounter longer than usual wait times and some delays. To help with delays, patients should bring notes on symptoms and a list of current medications, including prescription numbers or bottles.
Will I be able to get my diagnostic imaging, other tests, and treatments?Imaging, testing, and treatment are being offered at this time. However, patients may experience delays and some procedures may need to be rescheduled. Should any rescheduling be necessary, a member of our care team will contact you directly. We thank you for your patience.
Commitment to Quality Care:Our care teams are well versed on dynamic situations and are appropriately trained to maintain high quality care during downtime. Our leadership, physicians, care teams, and associates are working to ensure patient care continues with minimal to no interruption. We appreciate our community's patience and understanding.
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