Radiology practice remains closed more than 1 month after cyberattack
An East Coast imaging group remains closed more than one month after a cyberattack, according to reports from local media.
Pinehurst Radiology Associates recently gave notice of the incident, launching an investigation amid suspicious activity on its network. Located in the Sandhills of North Carolina’s Moore County, the practice hired legal counsel and cybersecurity specialists following the attack in late January.
Little has changed as of March 12, with Pinehurst Radiology still closed “for the foreseeable future,” the Pilot newspaper noted. Local reports have emerged that the practice has shuttered, but the outlet could not confirm them.
“While PRA is committed to restoring its network environment, certain systems remain offline and PRA is not able to schedule patients for mammography or ultrasound services,” the company said in a statement. “The investigation into the scope and nature of the event is ongoing and we appreciate your patience while we undertake comprehensive efforts to restore our systems in a safe and secure manner. PRA has notified and is working with federal, state, and local law enforcement regarding this event.”
Pinehurst is urging patients who need PET or MRI to visit First Imaging, which is part of FirstHealth of the Carolinas hospital system. Multiple imaging groups have experienced cyberattacks in recent months, including Scottsdale, Arizona-based SimonMed Imaging and University Diagnostic Medical Imaging in the Bronx, New York.
Around since 1983, Pinehurst Radiology employs 13 radiologists and two physician assistants. Read more from the Pilot here:
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.