Patient and employee data was compromised during the cyberattack on area hospitals last week.
In a joint statement issued Tuesday, Bluewater Health, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Windsor Regional Hospital, and their shared service provider, TransForm Shared Service Organization, confirmed they were the victims of a ransomware attack.
Cybersecurity experts determined certain patient, employee, and professional staff data was taken. Officials warn this information could be published by the people responsible.
"We understand the impact this incident is having on members of our community, including patients and our employees and professional staff, and deeply apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. We want to thank everyone for their patience during this time," said an official release signed by all of the organizations.
Under the law, any individuals whose data was affected must be notified.
The hospitals are working with law enforcement, including local police departments, the Ontario Provincial Police, INTERPOL and FBI.
System restoration efforts continue.
Further updates are expected in the upcoming week.
The hospitals will continue to contact patients directly if an appointment needs to be rescheduled.
Patients are encouraged to attend their primary care provider or local clinic wherever possible.
