Description of Event or Problem · 1
THE IDENTIFIED EQUIPMENT (HOSP HAS TWO) ARE CR (COMPUTED RADIOGRAPHY) PLATE READERS, WHICH "READ" IMAGING PLATES EXPOSED TO PT X-RAYS AND PRODUCE DIGITAL IMAGES. ON THIS DAY, BOTH UNITS BEGAN TO SHUT DOWN BY THEMSELVES. EFFORTS TO REBOOT THE SYSTEMS FAILED, THEY WOULD SIMPLY SHUT THEMSELVES DOWN IMMDIATELY AFTER RE-BOOTING. THE DEVICES CONTAIN A WINDOWS 2000 BASED PROCESSOR, WHICH IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE HOSP BECAME INFECTED WITH THE WIDESPEAD "SASSER" VIRUS BY WAY OF THE HOSP'S LAN, OVER WHICH THESE COMMUNICATE WITH KODAK LASER IMAGER, KODAK "REMOTE OPERATION PANELS" AND OTHER NETWORKED IMAGING EQUIPMENT. THE PROBLEM WAS RECTIFIED WHEN THE HOSP DOWNLOADED THE APPROPRIATE PATCH FROM THE MICROSOFT WEBSITE. KODAK WAS ABLE TO SUPPLY THE PATCH THE FOLLOWING DAY. DURING THE FEW HOURS THAT THE HOSP WAS DEALING WITH THIS VIRUS INFECTION REPORTER WAS UNABLE TO SCAN AND PRINT X-RAY IMAGES USING THEIR CR SYSTEMS. THIS DELAYED DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT DECISIONS. REPORTER IS CONCERNED THAT: 1) COMPUTERS WHICH FORM THE "HEART" OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS ARE OFTEN NOT THOUGHT OF AS COMPUTERS, BUT RATHER AS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, AND THEREFORE VIRUS PROTECTIONS AND FIREWALLS ARE OFTEN NOT PROVIDED FOR THEM. THIS IS PARTICULARLY CRUCIAL WHEN THESE DEVICES COMMUNICATE VIA HOSPITAL LAN'S. AND 2) SOME VIRUS AND WORM INFECTIONS MAY EITHER COMPROMISE PT CONFIDENTIALITY (HIPAA CONCERNS) AND/OR ALTER THE OPERATION OF THE EQUIPMENT IN SUBTLE WAYS THAT ARE LESS NOTICEABLE THAN IN THIS CASE.