MONTCLAIR, N.J. — Two New Jersey hospitals are diverting emergency room patients following a ransomware attack on their health system. Hackensack Meridian Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood and Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair have redirected EMS and emergency patients to other facilities, a move announced by Ardent Health Services.
The cyber attack, impacting patient care operations, was first detected on Thanksgiving. Ardent Health Services, managing Mountainside Medical Center, confirmed the diversion was a direct consequence of the ransomware incident. They have taken their network offline to secure data, and law enforcement has been informed.
Despite these challenges, Mountainside Medical Center officials assured that their emergency room remains operational for current patients and that patient care has not been negatively affected. Ardent Health Services has engaged threat intelligence advisors to assist in resolving the situation and restoring network functionality as promptly as possible.
