Brockton Hospital Navigates System-Wide Cybersecurity Incident
Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital is currently managing the aftermath of a significant cybersecurity incident that forced key information systems offline. While the hospital has activated incident response protocols to contain the breach, the disruption has shifted staff to manual “pen and paper” procedures and altered the availability of several critical services.
For patients and residents in the Brockton area, understanding which services remain operational and which are disrupted is essential for ensuring timely care. Despite the technical challenges, the hospital has maintained core emergency and surgical operations to ensure patient safety.
Current Status of Hospital Services
Not all departments were affected equally by the system outage. Signature Healthcare has provided specific guidance on what remains open and what has been temporarily suspended:
- Open and Operational: Inpatient care, the walk-in emergency department, surgeries, and endoscopy procedures are continuing as scheduled.
- Disrupted or Closed:
- Ambulance Services: The hospital has implemented ambulance diversions, meaning emergency vehicles are being rerouted to other facilities to ensure the emergency department can safely handle patient volume during the outage.
- Chemotherapy: Infusion visits scheduled for Tuesday were canceled. Patients are advised to contact the Greene Cancer Center to reschedule.
- Retail Pharmacies: The pharmacies located at 110 Liberty Street in Brockton and 1 Donalds Way in East Bridgewater were closed on Tuesday.
Understanding “Downtime Procedures” and Patient Impact
When a healthcare facility detects suspicious network activity, IT teams often accept systems offline immediately to prevent malware from spreading. This triggers “downtime procedures,” a protocol where clinicians document patient care using paper charts instead of electronic health records (EHR).
While these manual processes allow the hospital to keep treating patients, they can lead to delays. Cybersecurity expert Cynthia Keiser notes that without seamless digital access, it takes longer to help patients, which can be particularly challenging for those requiring specialized treatment. Congressman Stephen Lynch has highlighted that diverting patients to other facilities is increasingly hard due to a general shortage of available hospital beds resulting from previous closures across the state.
Key Takeaways for Patients
- Emergency Care: Walk-ins are still accepted, but ambulances may be diverted.
- Scheduled Surgeries: Proceeding as planned.
- Pharmacy/Chemo: Check with your specific provider or the Greene Cancer Center for rescheduling.
- Documentation: Expect potential delays as staff use manual record-keeping.
A Pattern of Resilience
This cybersecurity event comes as Brockton Hospital continues to rebuild momentum following a significant electrical fire in February 2023. The current focus remains on stabilizing the network and restoring electronic systems to full functionality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the emergency room still open?
Yes, the walk-in emergency department remains open to the public, though ambulance traffic is being diverted to other hospitals to manage capacity during the system recovery.
Why are ambulances being diverted?
Ambulance diversions typically occur when a hospital shuts down its network to contain a cyberattack. This limits the emergency department’s capacity to process new arrivals efficiently, necessitating the rerouting of patients to other facilities to ensure safety.
How can I reschedule a canceled chemotherapy appointment?
Patients whose chemotherapy infusion visits were canceled should call the Greene Cancer Center directly to coordinate a new appointment time.
As Signature Healthcare continues its investigation into the incident, the hospital is working to restore all electronic systems. Patients are encouraged to contact their healthcare providers directly to verify the status of outpatient visits and pharmacy services.