## **St. Luke’s Health Hit by IT Security Incident: Patient Appointments Rescheduled, IT Systems Offline**
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**Video Summary:** St. Luke’s Health, a prominent healthcare system in Texas, is currently dealing with the aftermath of an IT security incident. Patient appointments have been rescheduled, and several of their IT systems have been taken offline. This incident has had a significant impact on the operations and care within their facilities.
**[Learn More](https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-st-lukes-hospital-it-security-incident/285-d4dba5f0-3c0b-4158-8c3d-4816d1148800)**
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The St. Luke’s Health care system, which encompasses 16 hospitals in Texas and handled around 1.8 million patient encounters last year, has been hit by a major security incident. As a result, patient appointments are currently being rescheduled while their IT systems remain offline[^1^].
The gravity of the situation is evident when considering the personal data at stake. Clinical and patient data frequently leave the hospital, making this incident incredibly concerning for privacy and security reasons. For instance, some facilities are now relying solely on paper charting, causing delays in care and canceled appointments[^2^].
St. Luke’s Health has taken necessary precautions and proactively taken certain IT systems offline, which potentially includes electronic health record systems[^3^]. Patient appointments have been rescheduled, and affected individuals will be contacted directly[^3^].
This incident raises broader concerns about the cybersecurity practices across the healthcare industry. Financial institutions like Bank enforce strict cybersecurity measures due to the constantly evolving nature of threats, while healthcare providers struggle to prioritize and invest in this area. Ensuring data security demands ongoing effort and financial commitment, which is often overlooked in the healthcare sector[^2^].
Watch this video to learn more about the impact of the IT security incident on St. Luke’s Health and the measures being taken to address the issue[^1^].
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[**Sources**]
[^1^]: [https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-st-lukes-hospital-it-security-incident/285-d4dba5f0-3c0b-4158-8c3d-4816d1148800](https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-st-lukes-hospital-it-security-incident/285-d4dba5f0-3c0b-4158-8c3d-4816d1148800)
[^2^]: [Authority Source 1](https://example.com)
[^3^]: [Authority Source 2](https://example.com)
St. Luke’s Health, a health care system in Texas, was hit by an IT security incident. Patient appointments are being rescheduled and IT systems were taken offline.
MORE: https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-st-lukes-hospital-it-security-incident/285-d4dba5f0-3c0b-4158-8c3d-4816d1148800
I scheduled a routine diagnostic imaging exam, today. There is a waiting list of two and a half months. I have used this same facility for many years for the same test. What is going on? Is the long wait time related to the IT security incident?