IT failure in the Wels Clinic: Handwritten emergencies on Easter Sunday!

IT failure in the Wels Clinic: Handwritten emergencies on Easter Sunday!

It came on Easter Sunday Wels Clinic to a serious IT failure that paralyzed the hospital for over eight hours. The incident occurred due to a “defect in the technical infrastructure” and had far-reaching consequences for patient care. New patients had to be recorded by hand, which led to significant delays.

During this time, ambulances and emergency medical helicopters were temporarily diverted to surrounding hospitals. In order to defuse the situation for those affected, new patients were asked to visit other hospitals. According to clinic spokeswoman Kerstin Pindeus, the patients in the building were never at risk.

Restoration of the IT system

The technical problems could only be completely resolved around 8 p.m. After the restoration, the IT system was fully operational again. However, the incident raises questions about the resilience and security of the healthcare digital infrastructure.

Given similar IT outages in hospitals, cybercrime is an increasing threat as it often targets sensitive patient data, hospital information systems (HIS) and connected medical devices. According to the portal IT security online Cyber ​​attacks can not only cause significant financial damage, but can also endanger human lives.

The importance of cybersecurity in healthcare

In an increasingly digitalized world, IT security in healthcare is of utmost importance. With the rise of electronic health records, telemedicine, and connected devices, protecting against cyber threats is essential. Risks such as unauthorized access, phishing attacks and manipulation of medical devices must be actively addressed.

The need for additional protection measures, such as penetration testing and employee awareness training, is becoming increasingly urgent. The incident at the Wels Clinic highlights the weak points in the technical infrastructure and the potential dangers that lurk there.
Also ORF OÖ similarly reports on the challenges that the healthcare sector has to face in terms of digitalization and IT security.