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As cybercriminals increasingly target healthcare, 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. In this paper, 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% during the initial attack week, with recovery occurring within three weeks. Among patients already admitted to the hospital when a ransomware attack begins, in-hospital mortality increases by 34-38%.
