LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Audrey Frazier went in for a mammogram two months ago, a routine process through Norton Healthcare that has always returned near immediate results.
But this appointment was followed by a frustrating wait. A May 9 "cyber event" — as Norton has called it since — has been the subject of speculation for weeks as the company works to recover its information and patients struggle to obtain prescriptions and schedule appointments.
"I've had a lot of abnormal mammograms and several biopsies," she said. "I had the mammogram the day of the cyber attack."
Frazier said she repeatedly called her doctor and sent messages but never heard back.
"It's your job as a patient to find out your results," she said. "I was trying to do my part as a patient to find out where to go further from here. I got nowhere."
Nearly two months after her mammogram, Frazier finally has her results, a common story coming from Norton patients seeking care since the hack. Several patients and even employees of Norton Healthcare have struggled to get answers about the cyber attack.
Norton has denied several requests for an interview since May 9.
"I get ... you can't fix the world, but give people an explanation, especially when it's their health," Frazier said.
A hacker group called BlackCat claimed responsibility for the attack and leaked files as proof. Social security numbers, bank information and mammogram images were among the sensitive documentation leaked online. The documents appear to show a large amount of Norton's financial information, including operating accounts and payroll accounts with a balance of tens of millions of dollars, credit card information, confidentiality agreements, patient imaging orders, vendor and bank information and business invoices.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has warned companies of BlackCat and its threat to the health sector, demanding ransoms as high as $1.5 million. BlackCat has since claimed responsibility for several more cyber attacks, most notably Marucha, which is known for its ramen.
While waiting for her mammogram results, Frazier said previous WDRB reporting was the most information she'd received since the day of her appointment.
"People should be due an explanation," Frazier said. "I don't mean a canned corporate statement (but) a heartfelt explanation of when you can expect to hear something."
Renee Murphy, a spokeswoman for Norton, said in a written statement that things are slowly coming back.
"Through the hard work of our employees, the majority of our expansive operations are back online, which includes imaging and electronic prescriptions," Murphy said. "Our providers are working hard to communicate the results from tests and images and are sharing that information with patients as quickly as possible."
A message on Norton's website still says an investigation into exactly what happened remains underway, and the company is cooperating with the FBI.
"Investigations into cyber events can take months to complete, and we expect that to be the case here," the message says.
Cyber attacks are on the rise nationwide. A new report from Identity Theft Resource Center that covers the first half of 2023 found the top compromised industries include health care, financial services and manufacturing. And there's been a 153% increase in the number of people with personal information compromised in 2023 compared to the same period of 2022:
- 2022: 62,019,351 victims
- 2023: 156,637,416 victims
Concerned about patient privacy, Frazier said she hopes all patients get more answers from Norton soon.
"I figure that's blown. That ship has long sailed," she said. "To me, they should be offering identify theft or something. But, again, that ship has sailed. You know that's out there now."
Norton Healthcare, a company serving about 600,000 patients a year with nearly $5 billion in assets, continues to be tight-lipped about the May 9 data breach.
Related Stories:
- Norton Healthcare employee, patient information exposed in hack
- Hackers claim responsibility for Norton Healthcare 'cyber event' as Louisville patients await answers
- Patients remain frustrated 2 weeks after initial cyberattack on Norton Healthcare system
- Norton Healthcare still reeling 2 weeks after cyberattack
- Norton Healthcare says some surgeries being rescheduled after cyber-hack
- Norton Healthcare still evaluating after computer systems hacked
- Norton Healthcare's MyChart back up and running after 'suspicious message'
Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.