Bluewater Health CEO says sorry for concerns over cyberattack
Bluewater Health says it’s sorry for the concerns of patients caused by a cyberattack at the hospital last month.
It was part of a major ransomware attack on hospital groups throughout southwestern Ontario.
“I want to acknowledge how unsettling it must be to our patients to have their personal health information compromised, and I sincerely apologize for the concern this has raised,” said Bluewater Health President and CEO Paula Reaume-Zimmer.
She was speaking at a virtual news conference Friday where she was joined by counterparts from the other affected hospitals.
While the hospitals have provided several updates on the recovery process, it’s the first time the group has spoken publicly together about the breach, and the first time Bluewater Health has answered questions directly.
“We know that some of you want to hear more,” said Reaume-Zimmer. “We also must be careful. This is an active incident. The perpetrators of this attack may still attempt to harm us further.”
Patient records from Bluewater Health dating back more than 30 years were stolen in the cyberattack, affecting 267,000 patients — also stolen were the social insurance numbers (SIN) of 20,000 patients.
Reaume-Zimmer explained that the SINs were collected for workplace insurance claims, as required by law.
She said a call centre has been established to provide patients information on credit monitoring services (519-346-4604).
In the meantime, ongoing patient care continues to be impacted in some areas.
Bluewater Health diagnostic and imaging labs in Sarnia and Petrolia have had to defer non-urgent cases.
Reaume-Zimmer said 3,500 appointments have already been canceled, “causing a significant and growing backlog.”
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, who had been critical of the flow of information, is pleased a representative from Bluewater Health has finally spoken publicly.
“It’s welcome. I think it should have happened earlier. But it has happened. There’s a lot of discomfort in our communities about the accessing of these personal records. I hope now we can move forward and communicate, communicate, communicate. That’s what it’s all about. Even if you don’t have a lot to say sometimes,” said Bradley.
Bradley also wants the federal government to put a team in place to help public institutions deal with data breaches and cyber-attacks.
Reaction is also coming from health care watchdog, the Ontario Health Coalition.
Spokesperson Peter Bergmanis told CTV News public bodies need to re-think using private IT companies to manage personal data, as was the case in this ransomware attack.
“So much confidential material was lost to this nefarious third party. We have to put up much better public firewalls, and certainly have to re-think how we contract out data services too.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976345.1722029432!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
BREAKING Celine Dion performs at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Beloved Canadian icon Celine Dion made her much-anticipated appearance during the closing of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before Jasper can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes "for several weeks."
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Canada's Christine Sinclair: 'We were never shown drone footage'
Canada soccer great Christine Sinclair said on Friday national team players were never shown drone footage during the more than two decades she was on the team, following a spying scandal that cast a shadow over the Canadians at the Paris Games.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn $146,000 for water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six figure water bill.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are 'standing and intact,' including its iconic main lodge.
She couldn't stop thinking about the guy she met at the Athens Olympics. Then a message from him changed her life
Omaira Gill grew up counting down the days to each Olympic Games. She wasn’t especially sporty, so she ruled out the prospect of competing pretty early on. But she still harboured Olympic dreams – even just spectating would do.