Healthcare cyberattack impacting hospitals in the Carolinas
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — 12 days ago, a cyber attack shut down one of the nation’s largest healthcare technology companies. It’s being deemed one of the most significant attacks on the US healthcare system.
Last month, a ransomware group hacked into Change Healthcare’s systems. The tech company processes prescriptions and acts as a middleman between pharmacists and insurance companies.
REALTED | Charlotte pharmacy customers feeling the pain of latest cyber attack
According to Change Healthcare’s website, the company processes 15 billion transactions a year.
The attack is impacting doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and hospitals across the nation, including the Carolinas.
The American Hospital Association says while it does not have an exact number of how many hospitals have been impacted, it’s like all 6,000 hospitals have been impacted in some way shape or form.
AHA says the Change Healthcare’s scope and scale are significant and are a source of more than 100 critical functions that keep the health system operating.
“While our pharmacies are experiencing some delays in processing insurance claims due to the external issue, we have procedures in place that allow us to fill prescriptions so that patient care is not disrupted.” – Novant Health Spokesperson.
A spokesperson with Iredell Health System says while It does use Optum, the parent company of Change Healthcare, as of Monday the cyber attack is not impacting patients.
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