CLEVELAND — Frustration is growing among some University Hospitals patients as a cybersecurity incident continues to disrupt the hospital system's network more than two weeks after it was first detected.
Patients say they are still dealing with limited access to online services, including MyChart, prescription information, test results and online bill pay.
With many digital services still unavailable, patients are being forced to handle routine healthcare needs over the phone.
Stephen Bloomfield, a lifelong UH patient, says the disruption has made it difficult to communicate with his doctors, manage prescriptions and access important medical information.
"I've never had anything that's gone on quite this long," Bloomfield said. "My bank, my Wi-Fi or email — none of this stuff ever lasts more than a few hours."
Bloomfield says he can no longer access visit notes from his doctor, renew prescriptions online or message physicians through MyChart. He also reports problems with claims processing and scheduling future appointments.
He says even getting someone on the phone has been challenging.
"It was a 20-minute wait on music waiting for them to actually answer the phones," Bloomfield said.
The disruption began October 22, when University Hospitals detected unusual activity on its servers. The health system disconnected its systems from the internet as a precaution while it investigated the incident.
More than two weeks later, some online services remain limited, with patients continuing to report problems accessing their medical information and managing appointments.
Bloomfield says he would like to see more frequent updates from the hospital system about when services might be restored.
"That's what I'd like to see — a little bit more honesty and timeliness with updates as to when this might actually end," he said.
In an updated statement dated November 5, University Hospitals said all of its hospitals; emergency departments and physician offices remain open and fully operational.
The health system says the vast majority of appointments and procedures are continuing. Patients who already have appointments should keep them and do not need to call to confirm.
However, patients who need to schedule appointments, make changes, check on prescriptions or pay bills will need to use alternative methods while online services remain disrupted.
UH says patients will be able to resume paying bills through MyChart once the system is restored.
The hospital system is also warning patients to be alert for scams during the disruption.
UH says it will never call, text or email patients asking for sensitive personal information, including passwords or full Social Security numbers.
Anyone who receives a suspicious call or message should not respond and should instead contact their doctor's office directly.
UH acknowledged that its call centers are experiencing unusually high call volumes and says it is working to increase capacity to handle incoming calls.
For now, patients are being asked to rely on phone calls for many services that were previously available online.
University Hospitals has not provided a specific timeline for when all affected digital services, including MyChart, will be fully restored.
Here is UH's full updated statement:
All UH hospitals, emergency departments and physician offices remain open and fully operational, and our caregivers continue to provide safe, high-quality care. We are experiencing unusually high call volumes in our call center and are working to increase our capabilities to manage incoming calls and continue the highest level of service to our patients.
If you…
- Already have an appointment, please keep and attend your scheduled appointment. You do not need to call and confirm with us. Depending on your appointment type, you may receive an automated confirmation from University Hospitals. In the unlikely event we need to reschedule your appointment, we will contact you directly.
- Need to make a new appointment or change an existing appointment, please call 1-866-UH4-CARE to schedule.
- Need to schedule a Home Healthcare visit, please call 1-216-844-HOME to schedule.
- Need to schedule Behavioral Health visit, please call 1-216-844-2400 to schedule.
- Need to schedule a Radiology appointment, please call 1-216-844-1700 to schedule.
- Want to check on the status of a prescription or need a refill, please call your pharmacy. They can tell you if your prescription has been received or the pharmacy can call the physician’s office to obtain the prescription.
- Want to access lab results from Quest Diagnostics, visit this link and log in to your MyQuest account. If you do not already have a MyQuest account, you will need to create one.
- Need to pay a bill, you can send payment for your bills via USPS or call 1-800-859-5906, option 1 to make a payment over the phone. Once MyChart is re-established, you will be able to pay via the app.
- Have an urgent question about your care, test results or medications, please call your doctor's office directly at the number you usually use.
- Have a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. All UH emergency departments are open.
Please note…
University Hospitals will never call, text or email you to ask for personal information such as your password or your full Social Security number. If you receive a call or message that seems suspicious, do not respond. Hang up and call your doctor's office.
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