Experts Note CrowdStrike Bug Is Proof Of Health System’s Tech Weaknesses
A cybersecurity company's error took down business computers across the planet, including health service systems — forcing hospitals to resort to paper and pens — but experts are also noting that it should be a big warning of health systems' tech vulnerabilities.
Axios:
Health System's Tech Vulnerabilities Exposed Again
The CrowdStrike internet meltdown that wrecked havoc with some health systems' procedures and billing on Friday could be a harbinger of future threats and disruptions to medical facilities, experts said. (Goldman, 7/22)
The Boston Globe:
How The Microsoft, CrowdStrike Outage Affected Health Care Industry
A technology outage rippled around the world Friday, grounding planes, knocking out radio and TV stations, disrupting countless business transactions, and returning Boston’s health care industry to a pre-technology era when everything was written by hand and delivered in person. The outage was triggered by a faulty software update from Texas-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike to devices running Microsoft Windows. (Piore, Ellement and Andersen, 7/19)
More health industry updates —
San Francisco Chronicle:
Vital San Jose Hospital Reverses Course On Trauma Center Closure
Regional Medical Center, which operates one of just three adult trauma centers in Santa Clara County, has reversed course on its previous plans to close its trauma center on Aug. 12, and will instead remain open — but with fewer services than before. (Ho, 7/19)
Stat:
Mass General Lab Aims To Make More Hearts Eligible For Transplant
It seems like organized chaos. Five lab members move around a room the size of a galley kitchen. On this day, three high school students also squeeze into the medical lab, closely peering at a pig heart barely beating in a box. Tubes connected to the heart from a rhythmic, speaker-like pump push warm red blood cells through its chambers. It looks like a scene out of Frankenstein. (Balthazar, 7/22)
The CT Mirror:
Athena Nursing Home Workers Say Medical Bills Still Going Unpaid
The symptoms of multiple sclerosis show up differently in Jamie Iszczak’s body depending on the day. Sometimes it presents as pain, tingling or numbness in her leg. Her vision may blur. At times, an arm hurts, or she feels crushing fatigue. But getting treatment for those ailments has become equally problematic. (Carlesso and Altimari, 7/21)
Modern Healthcare:
DaVita To Pay $34.5M To Resolve False Claims Act Violations
Dialysis provider DaVita agreed to pay $34.5 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations. DaVita allegedly paid a competitor to induce referrals to its pharmacy services provider, DaVita Rx, the Justice Department said in a news release Thursday. In addition, the company allegedly paid kickbacks to physicians to induce patient referrals to its dialysis centers, according to the agency. (Kacik, 7/19)
CBS News:
Software Developers Want AI To Give Medical Advice, But Questions Abound About Accuracy
Software designers are testing specialized AI-powered chatbots that can give medical advice and diagnose conditions — but questions abound about accuracy. This spring, Google unveiled an "AI Overview" feature where answers from the company's chatbot started to appear above typical search results, including for health-related queries. While it might have sounded like a good idea in theory, there have been issues around health advice offered by the software. (Garrett and Breen, 7/20)
KFF Health News:
Rescue From Above: How Drones May Narrow Emergency Response Times
The drones are coming. Starting in September, if someone in Clemmons, North Carolina, calls 911 to report a cardiac arrest, the first responder on the scene may be a drone carrying an automated external defibrillator, or AED. “The idea is for the drone to get there several minutes before first responders,” such as an emergency medical technician or an ambulance, said Daniel Crews, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office in Forsyth County, where Clemmons is located. (Andrews, 7/22)
