Morning Headlines 3/30/16
Statement from MedStar Health Regarding Computer Downtime
10-hospital system MedStar Health is hit with a computer virus that has restricted access to its network and EHR system, forcing users back to paper documentation. Officials from the hospital have not confirmed whether a ransom has been demanded.
Banner to invest $1 billion for facilities in Tucson, Phoenix
Banner Health will implement Cerner at the recently acquired University of Arizona Health Network by 2017, replacing Epic.
Contracts: Defense Logistics Agency
DoD signs a one-year, $77 million extension with Philips Medical Systems to continue using its “patient monitoring systems, subsystems, accessories, consumables, spare/repair parts, and training.”
Security alert! New ransomware found inside Microsoft Word
A new healthcare-focused ransomware package is being passed around within Microsoft Word macros that uses Microsoft’s PowerShell framework to download malicious code and initiate the ransomware attack.

You know what will radically improve patient lives? Universal healthcare, access to housing, paid childcare, better public transport. Improve a…