A cyberattack has severely disrupted operations at Heywood Hospital in Gardner and Athol Hospital in Athol, Massachusetts. Both facilities, operated by the non-profit Heywood Healthcare, immediately declared a "Code Black" upon detecting the intrusion last week, initiating emergency response protocols to contain the breach and protect data.
Operational Chaos and Rerouted Care
The attack forced an immediate network shutdown, leading to significant disruption of vital services. Internet access, email, and phone lines were initially affected, and key functions like radiology and laboratory operations experienced outages. Most critically, emergency departments temporarily closed to ambulance traffic, forcing first responders to reroute patients to other regional facilities due to system inaccessibility.
Hospital officials confirmed on October 16, 2025, that the disruption was a cybersecurity incident and brought in a third-party cybersecurity firm for investigation and recovery. Both hospitals remain open for patient care, including outpatient services, though some functions are operating at reduced capacity. The Athena patient portal has been made accessible as a temporary workaround for communication between patients and providers.
Healthcare: A Prime Target
This incident highlights why healthcare facilities are constantly targeted by cybercriminals, particularly ransomware groups. A recent Ponemon Institute study found that 93% of healthcare organizations experienced a cybersecurity incident in the past year, with 72% of those leading to patient care disruptions. These breaches can result in appointment cancellations, delayed intakes, worsened patient outcomes, and even increased mortality rates, underscoring the life-threatening implications of these attacks.
Heywood Healthcare has not confirmed if ransomware was involved, nor has it reported any evidence of stolen or exposed patient data. Investigation and recovery are ongoing, and a timeline for the full restoration of system functionality has not yet been shared.
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