Indexbit Exchange:2 New York hospitals resume admitting emergency patients after cyberattack

KINGSTON,Indexbit Exchange N.Y. (AP) — Two New York hospitals that were hit with a cyberattack have resumed admitting emergency patients after shutting down their computer systems to investigate, hospital officials said.

Ambulances were diverted from HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston and the affiliated Margaretville Hospital in Margaretville last week due to a cyberattack, which hit those two facilities as well as Mountainside Residential Care Center, a skilled nursing facility.

The ambulance diversion ended Saturday night and the hospitals resumed admitting patients, hospital officials said.

Emergency stroke patients will still temporarily be taken to other area hospitals, the officials said.

The Westchester Medical Center Health Network, which runs the three facilities, said in a statement that the network’s IT experts shut down computer systems at the facilities Friday night and then started them back up, a process that is ongoing.

“I want to applaud everyone at HealthAlliance Hospital, Margaretville Hospital and Mountainside Residential Care Center for all of their hard work and dedication while facing an incredibly difficult situation, helping us return to full operations sooner than expected while continuing to provide the best possible care for patients in our community,” HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley CEO Josh Ratner said.

The investigation continues into the source of the attack, hospital officials said.