A National Cyberattack Affecting Radiation Therapy: The Irish Experience.

ABSTRACT: On Friday, May 14, 2021, the Health Service Executive, the organization providing public health services in the Republic of Ireland, was the victim of a significant cyberattack on its information technology systems. All systems were subsequently shut down to prevent further damage and to allow cybersecurity experts to investigate the attack. As a result, oncology services were severely disrupted, with the cessation of radiation therapy treatments in all public radiation therapy departments. Ireland has 5 large public and 6 smaller private radiation therapy centers in total. Because of the widespread adoption of electronic medical records in radiation therapy departments, it wasn't possible to retrieve patient details of those who were undergoing radiation therapy at the time of the cyberat

SUBMITTER: Flavin A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9486432 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature