The incompetency of the current administration is once again on full display with the alarming cyberattack on Ascension, one of America’s leading hospital systems. This attack has resulted in grave medication errors, endangering patient lives and exposing the glaring inadequacies of our nation’s cybersecurity measures under Democratic leadership.
Ascension, a Catholic healthcare system boasting over 140 facilities across the country, fell victim to this cyberattack last month. The breach locked out medical professionals from their digital systems, causing severe disruptions in patient care and leading to dangerous mistakes.
One horrifying incident saw a patient wrongly given narcotics, resulting in life-threatening respiratory problems that necessitated intensive care. In another tragic case, a woman suffered cardiac arrest and died after crucial test results needed for her treatment were delayed due to data mishaps.
Multiple employees at various Ascension facilities have reported an array of incidents resulting from the cyberattack. A nurse from Kansas shared a chilling account of a “near miss” where he almost administered a potentially fatal dose of narcotics to a baby due to confusing paperwork – an error which he assured had never occurred prior to the cyberattack.
Despite Ascension’s claim on June 14 that network access was restored, more than a dozen staff members have reported ongoing issues including medication mix-ups and lost test results. To manage the compromised digital systems, hospitals have been forced to resort to archaic methods like handwritten sticky notes to keep track of critically ill patients.
Justin Neisser, a travel nurse working at an Ascension hospital, warned patients about potential delays and errors in care. He expressed serious concern about the increased risk of harm due to the disrupted systems. An emergency room doctor from Michigan, who chose to remain anonymous, described a case where a patient was accidentally given a dangerous narcotic meant for another patient, leading to severe respiratory problems and necessitating ICU admission and intubation.
Another nurse from Michigan narrated a fatal incident where a woman with low blood sugar and confusion went into cardiac arrest after waiting four hours for lab results that never arrived. The nurse expressed fear for patient safety, even stating that she would prefer to be driven to another hospital if she experienced a medical emergency at work.
Marvin Ruckle, a nurse in Kansas, highlighted the difficulty in deciphering medication dosages from paper charts, which almost resulted in a dangerous overdose for an infant. He noted that such issues never occurred when the hospital was using electronic systems before the ransomware attack. Lisa Watson, another ICU nurse, also reported nearly administering the wrong medication to a critically ill patient due to the inability to scan drugs as before.
The compromised digital systems have forced staff to rely on outdated and unreliable methods, significantly increasing the risk of errors. Despite having experience with paper charts, nurses like Watson emphasized that the current system is far from adequate compared to previous electronic record-keeping practices.
In Maryland, ICU nurse Melissa LaRue nearly administered the wrong dose of blood pressure medication due to the overwhelming amount of paperwork and the absence of digital scanning. She stressed the potential for harm in the current chaotic environment.
Cyberattacks on healthcare institutions are becoming increasingly common under this administration’s watch. The FBI’s recent internet crime report revealed that nearly 1,200 organizations were affected by ransomware in 2023, with 250 reports coming from medical groups—the highest among the 16 industries covered in the report. Experts warn that such attacks not only steal patient information but also pose serious threats to public safety, potentially blocking access to life-saving medications and treatments.
Cybersecurity expert Steven McKeon has warned that outdated security systems and fragile infrastructures make healthcare networks easy targets for hackers. He emphasized that the situation is likely to worsen if significant improvements are not made – a clear indictment of the current administration’s lax approach to cybersecurity.
Ascension’s vice president of external communications, Sean Fitzpatrick, stated via email that patient care remains their highest priority despite the cyberattack. However, the ongoing issues reported by staff suggest that the healthcare system is struggling to maintain the quality of care amid the fallout from the cyberattack, a direct consequence of the Democrats’ failure to prioritize and properly address cybersecurity threats.
Source: Red Right Newsfeed
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