The state’s only Level 1 trauma center was affected during the disruption
The University of New Mexico Health System sent ambulances to other hospitals on Monday after a cybersecurity issue disrupted the New Mexico hospital network. The system told people not to show up at its main hospital in Albuquerque, and the disruption affected emergency care across the state.
The network canceled appointments at more than 30 clinics. On Monday afternoon, employees in turquoise staff shirts sat on chairs that blocked the waiting room at the main entrance and told patients their appointments might be canceled.
UNM Health System said it was working to resolve the issue, while the extent and nature of the cybersecurity problem were not immediately clear.
UNM’s Health Sciences Center, the state’s largest academic medical center, canceled classes and was closed for the day, the university said.
According to the hospital network’s website, the system conducts about 900,000 outpatient visits each year.
The website says the network receives 100,000 emergency room visits each year. The network also operates the state’s only Level 1 trauma center, and the disruption left New Mexico without an emergency department capable of treating the most serious injuries.
The incident came amid growing concern about the security of digital systems that underpin essential services, from banking to medical care.