Medical Company Cyberattack May Have Snared Data On 2 Million People
Shields Health Care Group says the identity and medical information, including diagnoses, of patients may have been grabbed by hackers in May. Separately, giant database company Oracle has completed its acquisition of Cerner, an electronics health records company.
The Boston Globe:
Cyberattack On A Mass.-Based Medical Imaging Company May Have Affected Millions
A cyberattack on Shields Health Care Group Inc. may have compromised the identity and medical information of approximately 2 million people, the imaging and outpatient surgical center company disclosed. Shields said the compromised data could include full names, social security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, provider information, diagnoses, billing information, insurance numbers and information, medical record numbers, patient IDs, and other medical or treatment information. Shields said it is still conducting a review of the impacted data, and didn’t have evidence that any of the information from the incident was used to commit identity theft or fraud. Shields said it notified federal law enforcement, would report the incident to state and federal regulators, and planned to directly notify impacted individuals where possible after it completes a review. The company notified federal officials of the breach on May 27. (Bartlett, 6/7)
Modern Healthcare:
Oracle Completes $28.4B Cerner Acquisition
Oracle said it completed its $28.4 billion acquisition of electronic health records company Cerner. Technology giant Oracle announced plans to buy Cerner late last year through an all-cash tender offer of $95 per share. On Tuesday, Oracle said the majority of outstanding shares of Cerner were validly tendered and the deal will close Wednesday. Austin, Texas-based Oracle has described Cerner as the company's "anchor asset" as it expands into healthcare. (Kim Cohen, 6/7)
Modern Healthcare:
Providence's Tegria Spins Out Software Company Advata
A healthcare software company backed by Providence health system will make its debut Wednesday. The venture, dubbed Advata, is an amalgam of several entities that have been part of Tegria, a for-profit subsidiary of Renton, Washington-based Providence. When the not-for-profit health system established Tegria in 2020, it included nine healthcare technology and services companies. A subset of those will comprise Advata, which is being launched as a separate entity. (Kim Cohen, 6/7)
Health News Florida:
A Research-Focused Academic Health Center At FSU Aims To Improve Health Care
Florida State University president Richard McCullough hopes a planned academic health center will help raise the level of medical care in the Tallahassee area. The new center will be part of a partnership between the university and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. It will be funded by a $125 million appropriation from the Florida Legislature. The proposed building will provide more space for medical training and research. McCullough says it will pave the way for what he calls “bench to bedside" research that creates a streamlined path from laboratory work to patient care. (McCarthy, 6/7)
In news about health care workers —
Modern Healthcare:
California Doctors Union Avoids Strike With Tentative Contract
A union representing 1,300 resident physicians and fellows at three Los Angeles County hospitals reached a tentative contract with the county, averting a potential strike, the labor organization said Tuesday. The Committee of Interns and Residents, a local chapter of Service Employees International Union, entered additional negotiations with the county following its vote late last month to authorize a strike. No details were released on the tentative pact's specifics or when members would vote on it but in a news release, the union said the proposal contained "significant material gains for resident physicians." (Devereaux, 6/7)
Axios:
Doctors Fight Bill That Lets More Health Workers Treat Federal Employees
Physicians are trying to sink a bill due to be taken up on the House floor on Tuesday that would allow federal employees to get work-related injuries diagnosed and treated by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. So-called scope of practice fights have intensified during the pandemic as emergency powers let medical providers who were not doctors provide more services. The legislation would expand nurse practitioners' and physician assistants' roles in providing services to injured federal workers under the federal workers' compensation program. (Reed, 6/7)
