Report: Malware shuts down hospital in Georgia

Here's one pointer for Philippine hospitals to keep their computer systems secure.

 

A computer virus effectively forced the shutdown of a hospital in the United States last week, with most patients diverted to other hospitals in the area.

 

The Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville (Georgia) eventually repaired the breach that affected the hospital's entire computer system.

 

"We've had a virus to interrupt our system within our hospital. It's not affecting patient care in any way, shape or form," said Gwinnett Medical Center spokeswoman Beth Okun, when interviewed by WSBTV television.

 

The virus was discovered Dec. 7, the report said.

 

WSBTV quoted a hospital employee as saying the problem got progressively worse until Gwinnett Medical decided to declare "total diversion" status for its Lawrenceville and Duluth campuses.

 

A "total diversion" status means that except for extreme emergencies, ambulances had to divert patients to other hospitals in the area.

 

But by late Dec. 9, the report said the hospital's status to "trauma diversion" only, meaning ambulances could resume bringing nontrauma patients to the hospitals.

 

On Saturday, Dec. 10, the hospital returned to using an online system to handle patients' records. The virus had forced the hospital to use paper records.

 

Okun said the virus affected computer interconnectivity, meaning hospital computers could not communicate with each other.

 

This forced the hospital to use a manual "runner" system, with couriers manually delivering important papers.

 

But Okun said the virus did not appear to attack or affect any database. She assured patients their medical records were not compromised.

 

 

"Only somebody without a conscience or a heart would go after a hospital. I don't know what kind of person he is, but obviously not that good," he said. — LBG, GMA News