Bluewater Health has developed a high priority system to deal with the many cancelled appointments following last month's cyberattack.
In a post to social media, Chief of Staff Dr. Mike Haddad said the recent cyberattack impacted many patients and procedures, which will be rescheduled once systems are restored at full capacity.
"We had to cancel certain cases, including many CT-scans and MRIs and we're using a priority system to prioritize higher risk and high acuity cases, such as cancer cases for example," said Dr. Haddad.
He said the breach on October 23 of a service provider targeted the patient information systems, computer system and digital systems.
Haddad admitted the cyberattack has impacted the level of care at the hospital.
"Our staff and physicians continue to do their best to look after our patients," said Haddad. "Our clinics, operating rooms and emergency departments both in Petrolia and Sarnia continue to be open. Having said this, and given the disruptions in our computer systems, care has slowed down and we're having difficulty getting all your information."
Haddad also thanks the community for their patience and understanding.
In an update Thursday, the hospital revealed that the hackers behind the attack stole the information of over 260,000 patients dating back to 1992, including the Social Insurance Numbers (SIN) of an estimated 20,000 patients.
Findings from the ongoing investigation have been reported to the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC).
Those impacted can file a complaint with the IPC if they choose.
