Hospitals including Massachusetts General are pausing operations due to a global IT outage linked to Microsoft and CrowdStrike.
A major global software outage has led to widespread disruptions in hospital operations and other sectors.
The IT issue, triggered by a «defect» in a piece of CrowdStrike software that affected Microsoft’s Windows services, has halted non-urgent medical procedures and consultations at hospitals worldwide, grounded flights, and disrupted business operations. Key health services, however, remain operational, prioritizing urgent care and emergencies.
Hospitals up and down the East Coast have confirmed to Newsweek that they have had to cancel no-urgent surgeries because of the IT issues.
Massachusetts General Hospital said, «A major worldwide software outage has affected many of our systems at Mass General Brigham, as well as many major businesses across the country. Due to the severity of this issue, all previously scheduled non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and medical visits are cancelled today.»
Despite the cancellations, the hospital emphasized that urgent care would continue: «Mass General Brigham remains open to provide care to patients with urgent health concerns in our clinics and emergency departments, and we continue to care for all patients currently receiving care in our hospitals.»
«It is our highest priority to ensure that our patients receive the safest care possible», the statement added.
