PIH Health has been forced to navigate complex operational challenges after falling victim to a ransomware attack on Sunday, December 1, 2024, that compromised its entire network infrastructure.
Impact Across Southern California Hospitals
The attack has disrupted critical systems across multiple healthcare facilities, including:
- PIH Health Downey Hospital
- PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital
- PIH Health Whittier Hospital
- Multiple Urgent Care Centers
- Physician offices
- Home health and hospice agency
Operational Status
Despite the technological setback, PIH Health remains committed to patient care. All Urgent Care Centers and Emergency Rooms continue to operate, with healthcare professionals employing critical downtime procedures to ensure continuous patient services.
Technology Systems Impacted
The ransomware attack has rendered multiple critical systems inoperable, including:
- Patient health records
- Laboratory systems
- Pharmacy systems
- Radiology systems
- Patient registration platforms
- Internet access
Patient Guidance
PIH Health is advising patients to:
- Maintain scheduled appointments
- Bring medication bottles to appointments
- Arrive early to accommodate alternative processing
- Expect potential procedure or surgery adjustments
Patients seeking prescriptions or medical tests should:
- Bring paper prescriptions for non-controlled substances
- Carry physician orders for lab and imaging tests
- Be prepared for cash-only transactions
Ongoing Investigation
PIH Health has engaged multiple agencies in response to the attack, including:
- Local police departments
- Fire departments
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Third-party cyber forensic specialists
Despite the significant technological disruption, PIH Health has committed to maintaining its workforce, announcing that no staff layoffs will occur due to the ransomware attack.
While ongoing investigations, PIH Health has not confirmed whether patient data has been compromised. The organization pledges to immediately notify affected individuals if any protected health information is found to be at risk.
