Downers Grove, Ill.-based DuPage Medical Group is experiencing a network outage that has disrupted patient care and access to medical records, according to a July 15 Chicago Tribune report.
The medical group is the largest independent medical group in Illinois, with more than 750 primary care physicians across 100 locations. Annually, it handles 2 million patient visits, their website said.
The outage began July 13, and on July 15, phone lines appeared to still be down. For one office location, an answering machine instructed anyone other than physicians or hospitals to call back later, the Tribune reported.
Since computer systems are down, physician offices are having difficulty accessing patient medical records. At least one patient reported being turned away when they arrived at the office, the Tribune reported.
Lisa Lagger, the vice president of communications at the medical group, told Becker's that restoring some of their computer systems is underway, but it's unclear when they will be fully operational.
When Becker's asked if any patients had been turned away, Ms. Lagger said, "Some patients have experienced minimal delays."
Additionally, when Becker's asked if the outage was linked to a cyberattack, Ms. Lagger said the cause of the interruption is still under investigation.