Ascension restores some services at most Kansas hospitals

MANHATTAN (KSNT) - Ascension is releasing new information following a ransomware attack last month impacting its hospital network in Kansas.

Scott Evans with Ascension announced in a press release on June 10 that both Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan and its Wamego Health Center are open and operational in the aftermath of the May cyber attack. Ascension hospital locations in Wichita and Pittsburg have also restored services used for electronic patient documentation in care settings.

"Despite the challenges posed by the recent ransomware incident, patient safety continues to be our utmost priority. Our dedicated doctors, nurses, and care teams are demonstrating incredible thoughtfulness and resilience as we use manual and paper based systems during the ongoing disruption to normal systems. 

We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this unexpected situation. Rest assured, our commitment to the health and safety of our community remains our highest priority."

Ascension spokesperson statement excerpt June 10

While Ascension is offering all of its services at its Manhattan and Wamego locations, it continues to warn patients to expect delays for the time being. The transition to manual systems for patient documentation have lead to increased wait times and delays when scheduling a doctor's appointment, surgical operations, diagnostic imaging and other tests and treatments.

Electronic Health Record (EHR) access is expected to be restored by the week ending in June 14. For more information on how Ascension is responding to the cyber attack's aftermath in Kansas, click here.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf