Opioid treatment network Behavioral Health Group (BHG) has suffered a cyberattack that caused a week-long disruption of IT systems and patient care. The computer outage caused issues at several clinics, as patients were unable to receive their prescriptions. BHG has not disclosed the nature of the incident, however it is believed to be caused by a ransomware attack.
Josh Rickard, Security Automation Architect at Swimlane weighed in on this cyber incident:
"When it comes to the healthcare system, it is essential that cybersecurity remains top of mind to prevent attacks like the one on Behavioral Health Group from occurring. When cyberattacks take place within healthcare organizations, victims have not only potentially exposed data to consider, but also the general wellbeing and quality of life as they pertain to those affected. In this case, the cyberattack led to nearly a week-long upset of BHG’s IT databases that are directly responsible for patient care. At several clinics, patients were unable to obtain their prescriptions of methadone and suboxone, which are used to treat narcotics addiction.
To ensure that health group patients, especially those dealing with addiction, are properly taken care of and able to receive the help they need, organizations such as BHG must implement the proper cybersecurity controls to guarantee that IT systems remain up and running. By leveraging the power of low-code security automation, healthcare companies can detect and respond to threats in real time without the chance of human error, ultimately upholding their duty to provide the highest level of patient care."
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