Cybersecurity incident forces New Mexico hospital to turn away patients

A cybersecurity issue at a hospital network in New Mexico forced the entity to send ambulances to other hospitals, leaving the state without an emergency department with the ability to treat patients dealing with severe injuries. 

The problem occurred Monday with the University of New Mexico Health System telling The Associated Press via a statement that its hospitals and clinics began resuming operations in phases later in the day.

RELATED: Canadian ransomware negotiator arrested on federal charges amid FBI hacking probe

Several UNM Health System workers told the AP they heard messages on their computers while working Monday morning that claimed to have stolen student and employee data and patient information.

New Mexico hospital cybersecurity incident 

Dig deeper:

The University of New Mexico Health System told individuals not to show up at its main hospital in Albuquerque and canceled appointments at over 30 clinics. 

According to The Associated Press, the organization said it was working to resolve the issue.  The hospital network holds roughly 900,000 outpatient visits and receives 100,000 emergency room visits annually, according to its website.

Presbyterian Healthcare Services and Lovelace Health System, two other major healthcare providers in New Mexico, told the AP that they were collaborating with the UNM Health System, including accepting more patients for hospital visits. 

At the main entrance to its Albuquerque hospital on Monday, employees sat on chairs that blocked the waiting room and told patients their appointments could be canceled.

At a medical center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, two security guards at the main entrance told patients arriving for appointments to reschedule.

A spokesperson for the health system told the AP that the cybersecurity incident is an active law enforcement investigation. 

The Source: Information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, which cites a statement from University of New Mexico Health System and a comment from a spokesperson for the health system.