CYBERSECURITY

The May 8 ransomware attack affected 140 hospitals in at least 10 states

The cyberattack locked providers out of systems that track and coordinate nearly every aspect of patient care, including electronic health records, some phones, and systems “utilized to order certain tests, procedures and medications”.

Clinicians working for hospitals in three states described harrowing lapses, including delayed or lost lab results, medication errors, and an absence of routine safety checks via technology to prevent potentially fatal mistakes.

Ascension said June 14 it had restored access to electronic health records across its network, but that patient “medical records and other information collected between May 8″ and when the service was restored “may be temporarily inaccessible as we work to update the portal with information collected during the system downtime.”

”We’ve started to think about these as public health issues and disasters on the scale of earthquakes or hurricanes,” said Jeff Tully, a co-director of the Center for Healthcare Cybersecurity at the University of California-San Diego.

In 2023, the health sector experienced the largest share of ransomware attacks of 16 infrastructure sectors considered vital to national security or safety, according to an FBI report on internet crimes. In March, the federal Department of Health and Human Services said reported large breaches involving ransomware had jumped by 264% over the past five years.

A cyberattack this year on Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealth Group’s Optum division that processes billions of health care transactions every year, crippled the business of providers, pharmacies, and hospitals.

DEFENSE STRATEGY

Reptile Theory in healthcare litigation: introduction

Reptile Theory is arguably the most game-changing trend in litigation in recent history. The strategy was designed specifically to achieve plaintiff verdicts and high damages, even in jurisdictions where damage caps exist.

It has been so successful for the plaintiff bar in personal injury and medical malpractice cases that it has now made its way into other areas of law, including product liability and transportation. Because of the theory’s prevalence in medical malpractice, it’s important for healthcare providers to understand the strategy and know how it typically unfolds during litigation.

The Reptile Theory strategy has reportedly resulted in more than $7.7 billion in jury verdicts and settlements for plaintiffs since it was developed in 2009 . With this kind of earning power, it’s clear these practices aren’t going away any time soon.

The good news is, healthcare defense can successfully overcome this strategy by taking advantage of a multi-part strategy.

HONORS

Excelas, LLC is honored to be one of the 2024 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For®  in the Nation for the eighth year in a row!

On June 7, 2024, The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® announced the newest 2024 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation. Only companies that distinguish themselves as having the most innovative business and human resource practices can receive this honor.  Considering the ten-to-one ratio of this program, these winning companies are truly innovative in their employee engagement execution.

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