American Economic Journal:
Economic Policy
ISSN 1945-7731 (Print) | ISSN 1945-774X (Online)
Hacked to Pieces? The Effects of Ransomware Attacks on Hospitals and Patients
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
(pp. 256–81)
Abstract
As cybercriminals increasingly target health care, hospitals face the growing threat of ransomware attacks. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that prevents users from accessing electronic systems and demands a ransom to restore access. We create and link a database of hospital ransomware attacks to Medicare claims data. We quantify the effects of ransomware attacks on hospital operations and patient outcomes. Ransomware attacks decrease hospital volume by 17–24 percent during the initial attack week, with recovery occurring within 3 weeks. Among patients already admitted to the hospital when a ransomware attack begins, in-hospital mortality increases by 34–38 percent.Citation
Neprash, Hannah, Claire McGlave, and Sayeh Nikpay. 2026. "Hacked to Pieces? The Effects of Ransomware Attacks on Hospitals and Patients." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 18 (1): 256–81. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20240594Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D83 Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
- I12 Health Behavior
- I13 Health Insurance, Public and Private
- K42 Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law