The Peru Gazette

As UVM Health Network reaches the 10-day mark in our response to last week’s cyberattack, I want to give you an update on where things stand. As always, patient care is our No. 1 priority. While we have postponed some non-urgent procedures and have asked patients to hold off on scheduling appointments that can wait, we have continued to make every effort to provide the care our patients need. This is of utmost importance not only in this moment, but also to avoid the longer-term, negative impacts of delaying care – a problem we saw earlier this year due to the spread of COVID-19. That being said, we know that the effects of the cyberattack are being felt by some patients more than others. At this moment, we are working urgently to bolster our ability to provide some cancer treatments; that includes plans to expand capacity at UVM Medical Center and to schedule treatment appointments at other hospitals.

As a reminder, we are regularly updating a web page – www.UVMHealth.org/cyberattack – that has detailed information on services at each organization in our network. Please feel free to share this information as a resource for your communities.

I also can report that our IT team is continuing to make significant progress. I know that progress may be difficult to see, but we are heading in the right direction. We are working to restore systems, with top priority given to systems critical to patient care. With the help of the Vermont Army National Guard, we are working to ensure that thousands of devices are free of malware or viruses. And we are coming up with stopgap solutions wherever possible. For example, our team was able to successfully retrieve appointment schedules for several affiliates this week, and that effort is ongoing.

Our cyberattack response will continue around the clock, over the weekend and into next week. Given the complexity of this situation, recovery will be steady but incremental. We’re going about this work in the only way we can – thoroughly, deliberately and carefully, with an eye always on the safety and security of our network.

Over the past 10 days, our health network has engaged in a difficult balancing act: We have marshaled every resource available to respond to this cyberattack, while also continuing to respond to the needs of our patients and communities. There has been a lot of justifiable frustration, and there are services we have been unable to provide. But, while this attack has slowed us, it won’t stop us. We are focused on the progress we’re making and the things we will never stop doing – caring for our patients and working together.

I’ll be in touch with updates as our recovery continues.

Sincerely,

John R. Brumsted, MD

President and CEO, The University of Vermont Health Network