UNM Health diverted ambulances and canceled appointments at more than 30 clinics Monday after a cybersecurity issue disrupted operations. The diversion left New Mexico without its only Level 1 trauma center available for incoming emergency cases; two other major health systems coordinated with UNM and took additional patients.
SecurityWeek reported that employees heard messages on their computers claiming student, employee, and patient data had been stolen. The reporting does not establish how the messages reached staff or whether the data-theft claim was true. UNM said its hospitals and clinics began resuming operations in phases later that day.
Because UNM is the state’s sole Level 1 center, disruption there shifted demand for specialized emergency care to neighboring providers. Operations resumed in phases, but the reporting leaves the full impact and any data exposure unresolved.
University of New Mexico hospital diverts ambulances after cyberattack
For about two hours on Monday, the organization diverted ambulances to health systems in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. They were forced to suspend outpatient surgeries and appointments for the remainder of the day.