Cyberattacks on hospitals are growing threats to patient safety, experts say

Cyberattacks are increasingly hitting US hospitals, impacting patients’ care and at times delaying vital treatment, as was the case for a cancer patient in Vermont. A study found that attacks on US hospitals have doubled from 43 to 91 annually between 2016 and 2021, often resulting in the locking out health care workers from critical systems. Despite this, healthcare systems are generally underprepared to tackle these attacks, marking an ongoing threat to patient safety.