A widespread ransomware attack has crippled the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), forcing the closure of all 35 of its clinics statewide and the cancellation of most appointments and surgeries as of . The attack, which began in the early morning hours, has disrupted the hospital’s IT network, including its electronic medical record system, Epic.
LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, confirmed the nature of the attack during a press conference. “Early this morning, we sustained a cyber attack, which impacted our IT network and many of our systems, including our electronic medical records system, EPIC. We have triggered our emergency operations plan: this impacts all medical center locations,” Woodward stated. Emergency services remain available, with downtime protocols in place.
While all clinics are closed , and elective surgeries have been cancelled, Woodward emphasized that patient care continues for those already hospitalized. “Patients in our hospital and in our emergency department are being cared for. Clinical equipment and operations remain functional,” she said. In-person classes for students will also continue as scheduled.
The FBI is investigating the attack, with Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff stating that the agency is “surging resources, both locally and nationally, into this incident to make sure that we are standing alongside with UMMC and their vendors.” However, Eikhoff declined to provide specifics regarding the type of ransomware involved or the origin of the attack at this stage of the investigation.
The disruption extends beyond direct patient care. Mississippi MED-COM, the state’s hospital transfer network, has also been impacted. However, Woodward assured that “redundancies” are in place to ensure continued patient routing to hospitals across the state.
Understanding Ransomware and its Impact on Healthcare
Ransomware attacks involve malicious software that encrypts computer systems, rendering them inaccessible until a ransom is paid, typically in cryptocurrency. These attacks are increasingly common and sophisticated, extracting millions of dollars from targeted institutions. The rise of artificial intelligence is further complicating cybersecurity defenses, making it easier for attackers to infiltrate systems.
The immediate consequences for Mississippians include cancelled appointments and limited access to healthcare providers. While UMMC is working to establish a phone line for information, access remains limited. The cancellation of “elective” procedures means that only emergency and urgent cases are currently being addressed.
However, the impact of ransomware attacks on hospitals extends far beyond appointment cancellations. Dr. Jeff Tully, co-director at the University of San Diego’s Center for Healthcare Cybersecurity, highlighted the potentially devastating consequences for patient outcomes. “Four years ago, we looked at emergency department patients that were being treated in a town with a ransomware attack,” Tully explained. “In a followup study a year later looking at that same attack, for patients who had a cardiac arrest—you had about a 40% chance of surviving with an intact brain before the attack. During the attack that number went down to 4.5%.”
This represents a tenfold increase in the risk of death for patients experiencing cardiac arrest, alongside significantly longer wait times in the emergency room – an average of 40% longer – and increased rates of stroke and mortality in the surrounding hospitals. These statistics underscore the critical and often overlooked impact of cyberattacks on immediate patient safety.
The full scope of the UMMC attack, including whether patient or credit card information has been compromised, remains unknown. Woodward stated that it is “uncertain about how long this situation may last” and that officials are still assessing the extent of the breach. “There are a lot of questions that I have, that we all have, that you have, that we don’t know the exact answers to at this point. There’s a lot we don’t know,” she added.
The situation at UMMC echoes a similar attack on Ascension Health in late 2024, which compromised nearly 5.6 million healthcare records and caused approximately six weeks of disruption before normal operations were restored. Ascension is currently facing a class action lawsuit alleging inadequate protection of customer records.
The long-term effects of the UMMC attack are difficult to predict. As Dr. Tully noted, ransomware attacks are lasting longer, with downtime now frequently extending for weeks or even months. The disruption to patient care, coupled with the potential for data breaches, represents a significant challenge for the hospital and the communities it serves. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the growing vulnerability of healthcare systems to cyberattacks and the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures.
