A cyberattack has caused a network outage that has disrupted operations at two hospitals in North Central Massachusetts – the 134-bed non-profit Heywood Hospital in Gardner, and Athol Hospital, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Athol, both owned and operated by Heywood Healthcare.
The attack was detected last week, and systems were immediately taken offline to protect the network and patients. Incident response protocols were activated, a Code Black was declared, and the emergency department was closed to all patients arriving by ambulance. Ambulances were diverted to other facilities due to the inability to access certain systems. Radiology and laboratory services have also been disrupted.
The attack affected its Internet connection, email system, and phone lines, and while communications are back up and running, some issues are still being experienced. On Thursday, October 16, 2025, the hospital confirmed that the network outage was caused by a cybersecurity incident and that a third-party cybersecurity firm has been engaged to assist with the investigation and recovery. The Athena portal is online, and patients are encouraged to use the portal to communicate with the hospital and providers, and its answering service is operational if the portal cannot be accessed…