Angela lived with COPD for years. During flare-ups, her small hometown hospital was her lifeline — its staff knew her history, and its electronic medical record system ensured her care team had immediate access to her ePHI. But in early 2023, that hospital closed due to financial strain and staffing shortages. The nearest hospital was 45 minutes away, and during her next crisis, delays, repeated tests, and missing records complicated her care.

Over the following months, Angela’s care fragmented further. The regional hospital that stabilized her also shut down — this time under pressure from a ransomware attack that disrupted operations and revenue cycles. With no local hospitals left, Angela bounced between clinics, retelling her story and carrying test results by hand. Even when a new ho

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