Luminis Health says MyChart systems back online after cyberattack

Luminis Health is making progress in responding to the month-old cyberattack that took some of its systems offline.

The company, which operates the Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Doctors Community Medical Center in Lanham, and other medical practices, announced Tuesday that access to its online patient portal, MyChart, was restored.

Patients can once again use MyChart to schedule appointments, message their providers and request prescription refills. The company said it is “making considerable progress in restoring affected systems.”

The hospital operator said some information, such as test results or visit notes from appointments that have happened during the cyber incident, may not be immediately available in MyChart. That’s because Luminis used paper medical records when MyChart was unavailable, and staff are now working to upload that information.

And though MyChart was affected by the cyberattack, Luminis said online that the incident “did not affect the system that stores our patient records.”

In its online FAQ, Luminis says some systems remain unavailable, but does not specify which ones. Patients with questions about appointments or their care can call their providers or use MyChart to message them.

The cyberattack caused Luminis to temporarily divert noncritical cases from its emergency rooms at the beginning of the month, but its medical centers have continued providing patient care.

Luminis said it’s working with legal counsel and cybersecurity experts to respond to the attack, but has not specified which ones. The company has not said whether it is working with any law enforcement agencies to investigate the attack.

If you’re a Luminis patient, you should remain vigilant if you receive an unexpected text message, email or phone call that requests personal or financial information.

“Do not provide sensitive information in response to an unsolicited communication,” the company said in its FAQ.

Cybersecurity experts told The Banner earlier this month that healthcare systems are increasingly prime targets for cybercriminals. That’s because the networks are complex and have many connected devices, and healthcare systems traditionally have not invested as much in cybersecurity, said Michael Daniel, CEO of the nonprofit Cyber Threat Alliance. Plus, the information, including personal medical information, has value.

Luminis Health did not respond to a request for comment or to written questions.

“Thank you for your continued patience and support as we move through the recovery process,” the company wrote in its online FAQ.