Health care data systems continue to be vulnerable
Despite being aware of how exposed the U.S. health care system is to hacking, necessary improvements have not been implemented. Last month’s attack on UnitedHealth Group's Change Healthcare, a relatively obscure electronic clearinghouse, underscores the severity of the issue.
The attack, orchestrated by a hacker linked to the ransomware gang ALPHV, disrupted vital connections between medical providers and their patients' insurance companies. Change Healthcare has since provided $2 billion in advances to affected pharmacies, hospitals and other providers who were unable to receive insurance reimbursements during the network failure.
The danger posed to the health care system by cyberattacks was particularly evident in 2021 when ransomware attacks targeted hospitals already under strain from the COVID-19 pandemic. These attacks forced some hospitals to divert emergency patients elsewhere, potentially leading to deadly treatment delays. Despite this clear risk, progress in implementing new security measures has been slow due to opposition from private sector lobbyists. Consequently, Congress and regulatory bodies have mainly focused on promoting best practices, which hospitals often choose to disregard.
Read more: The Washington Post
The article presented here is intended to inform you about the broader media perspective on dentistry, regardless of its alignment with the ADA's stance. It is important to note that publication of an article does not imply the ADA's endorsement, agreement, or promotion of its content.