A leading radiology and diagnostics provider has been hit by a major cyber attack, which has forced it to close its clinics and cancel appointments.
Quantum Radiology operates several clinics in the Penrith area, including the busy Nepean Radiology on High Street.
For the past week, the company has publicly stated it was experiencing an unforeseen IT issue.
The Weekender can now reveal it relates to a cyber attack last week on its servers and systems.
In an email to staff, sighted by the Weekender, team members were urged to remain extremely vigilant for any further attacks or scams and take precautionary steps, including contacting their banks.
“There is a possibility that the attacker may have accessed or stolen the Personal Information (PI) of our employees,” the email said.
“This is also being investigated as a matter of urgency and we don’t yet have confirmation of who may have been affected or what information may have been compromised, if any.”
When contacted by the Weekender, a spokesperson from Quantum Radiology said they are working with the relevant Australian cybersecurity regulatory bodies and the police.
“We are also working closely with our legal advisors and retained specialists to help and advise on the incident,” the spokesperson said.
“As a precautionary measure, we have taken our system offline. Our clinics are currently closed and we are working diligently to make our systems operational.
“We are also notifying and collaborating with our referring doctors to optimise patient care.”
Despite the company’s messaging, a growing number of patients are concerned that Quantum Radiology is downplaying the serious nature of the incident.
David Montgomery is just one of the locals who has been left without results after a recent examination.
He said the way Quantum Radiology has handled this incident has caused even more stress and anxiety for people who are experiencing health issues.
“They’ve handled this very badly, and I don’t think they’re being transparent in their communication at all,” he told the Weekender.
“When you can’t trust a health provider, who can you trust?”
The company says it has no firm timeline for when they will be back online.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience or distress that this incident has caused,” the spokesperson said.
“Our priority is to optimise patient care and minimise impact to patients and our referring doctors.”
It is unclear whether patient files and information has been compromised as a result of the attack.
The Federal Government has confirmed it is aware of the incident, but directed all enquiries to Quantum.
Makayla Muscat
Formerly with the ABC, Makayla is a graduate of Western Sydney University. She covers a variety of news topics for the Weekender, including courts.