Cyberattack Disrupts Care at University of Mississippi Medical Center

The medical center canceled all elective procedures and shut off many systems, reverting to paper-based processes to keep emergency care available.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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A cyberattack at the University of Mississippi Medical Center caused it to close all of its clinics and cancel many appointments this week. The medical center reported that many of its IT systems, including electronic medical records, billing, appointments, and test results, had been disabled. The hospital said it would continue to provide urgent care by reverting to paper-based processes, and that emergency services would also continue to be available, but all elective procedures were canceled.

Why it matters

Cyberattacks on healthcare facilities can have serious consequences, disrupting critical medical services and putting patient care at risk. This incident at the University of Mississippi Medical Center highlights the vulnerability of healthcare systems to such attacks and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect against them.

The details

According to reports, the medical center notified the public on Facebook that its IT systems had been disabled due to the cyberattack. At a press conference, Dr. LouAnn Woodward, the medical center's vice chancellor, said the hospital would continue to provide urgent care by reverting to paper-based processes, and that emergency services would also continue to be available. However, all elective procedures were canceled. The county health departments, which depend on the medical center's records system, have also been affected.

  • The cyberattack occurred on Thursday, February 20, 2026.
  • The medical center closed all of its clinics and canceled many appointments on Thursday and Friday.

The players

University of Mississippi Medical Center

A major academic medical center in Mississippi that provides healthcare services to the region.

Dr. LouAnn Woodward

The vice chancellor of the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to provide urgent care by reverting to paper-based processes, and emergency services will also continue to be available.”

— Dr. LouAnn Woodward, Vice Chancellor, University of Mississippi Medical Center (Mississippi Today)

What’s next

The medical center is working to restore its IT systems and resume normal operations as soon as possible.

The takeaway

This cyberattack on the University of Mississippi Medical Center underscores the critical need for healthcare facilities to have robust cybersecurity measures in place to protect against disruptions to patient care and ensure the continuity of essential medical services.