PHMG detects 'suspicious activity' shuts down phones, patient portal

Palomar Health Medical Group has shut down its phone lines and patient portal while it investigates “suspicious activity on certain computer systems within its network.” Fallbrook’s Graybill Medical Group is part of PHMG and is included in this shutdown.

According to an NBC 7 news report, in a letter to patients dated May 6, PHMG said it detected the activity on May 5.

PHMG took the affected systems offline, to “prevent the spread of any potential malware and launched an investigation into the nature and scope of the event,” the letter said.

Phones, faxes and the patient portal were not working as of May 5 with the PHMG letter telling patients to go in person to their doctor’s office for new prescriptions and refills. Doctors are still able to see patients, but there may be delays, the letter said.

The letter PHMG sent to patients said Palomar Health Healthcare District, including Palomar Medical Center Poway and Palomar Medical Center Escondido, have not been impacted.

Third-party specialists are working with Palomar Health Medical Group to investigate the source of this disruption, to confirm its impact on our systems, and to restore full functionality to our systems as soon as possible,” PHMG told NBC 7. “We are also investigating what impact, if any, this incident had on the security of data within our environment.”