Samwise Healthcare IT Newsletter
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
AnMed CEO confirms patient data was stolen in ransomware attack
Ransomware gang “The Gentlemen” has confirmed stealing 6 terabytes of data from AnMed, a South Carolina nonprofit health system, in a July cyberattack — and AnMed CEO William Kinley has now verified the theft. The stolen data is particularly sensitive, encompassing records related to mental health treatment, sexual assault care, reproductive health, genetic testing, and cancer diagnoses. The attack forced AnMed to close multiple care facilities and divert patients for several weeks. Cybersecurity experts warn that health systems holding sensitive patient populations face elevated extortion risk as ransomware groups increasingly target data that carries greater leverage — and stigma.
Sources: GovInfoSecurity
AnMed warns patients not to fall for criminal scams after data theft
In the wake of confirmed data theft, AnMed Health is urging patients to be vigilant against criminal fraud attempts. The health system warned that anyone receiving unexpected communications claiming to involve AnMed information should not respond, click links, open attachments, provide personal information, or make a payment — and should report any direct threat to law enforcement. The advisory followed reports from patients who received suspicious messages, including fake MyChart appointment reminders generated outside AnMed’s systems. The warning underscores a growing secondary threat in ransomware incidents: stolen healthcare data fueling targeted social engineering campaigns long after the initial breach.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
Healthcare organizations are moving beyond the AI hype cycle, HIMSS26 APAC attendees agree
More than 1,800 healthcare leaders gathered at the HIMSS26 APAC Health Conference in Singapore this week reached a shared conclusion: the industry is moving from AI experimentation to evidence-based transformation. A 2026 HIMSS survey of APAC health systems found 81% of respondents using generative AI, with nearly half adopting it within the past 12 months. Yet only 35% have a dedicated internal AI team, and 67% cite cost as the primary adoption barrier. Conference sessions focused on responsible AI governance, digital maturity frameworks, and practical implementation steps as health systems shift priorities from launching pilots to proving measurable performance improvements.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
Health leaders at HIMSS26 APAC urged to curb aggressive AI spending
Health system leaders attending HIMSS26 APAC in Singapore received a pointed message: aggressive spending on artificial intelligence without demonstrable return on investment risks creating financial strain without clinical benefit. Speakers urged organizations to apply rigorous cost-benefit analysis before committing AI budgets, warning against technology adoption driven by competitive anxiety rather than evidence. The caution arrives as APAC healthcare systems accelerate AI deployments, with HIMSS data showing 81% of respondents using generative AI in 2026 — but governance structures lagging behind. The call for fiscal discipline reflects a broader reckoning as early AI enthusiasm collides with balance sheet realities across the region.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
Telemedicine becomes more deeply embedded into hospital workflows
Telemedicine is no longer a parallel track in hospital care delivery — it is becoming a core component of clinical operations. Virtual intensive care units, virtual nursing programs, and remotely deployed specialist consultations are embedding telehealth services directly into standard hospital workflows rather than treating them as supplemental offerings. Health system leaders describe telemedicine evolving from a separate communication channel into an integrated clinical operating model, where remote and in-person care are coordinated in real time. The shift carries significant implications for staffing, infrastructure, and reimbursement policies as hospitals work to sustain virtual care investments that accelerated during and after the pandemic.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
FDA advisory committee meets this week on generative AI medical device regulation
The FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health advisory committee met this week in Gaithersburg, Maryland, to tackle one of healthcare’s most complex regulatory frontiers: generative AI as a medical device. The FDA published a discussion paper on August 19 outlining a potential framework for evaluating generative AI tools, flagging concerns including hallucinations, intended use ambiguity, and the challenge of regulating foundation models serving multiple clinical applications. The meeting represents a critical inflection point for developers, health systems, and regulators as AI-powered diagnostic and clinical decision support tools proliferate — often outpacing the frameworks designed to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
Sources: Fierce Healthcare
SingHealth unlocks AI’s value through ‘phygital’ care at HIMSS26 APAC
Singapore’s SingHealth is redesigning its patient journey workflows as part of an ambitious transition to a hybrid physical and digital — or “phygital” — public healthcare cluster. The approach, discussed by Benedict Tan, Group Chief Digital Strategy and Data Officer at SingHealth, at HIMSS26 APAC this week, uses advanced technologies, data integration, and AI to improve both care outcomes and staff experiences. Rather than treating digital tools as supplemental to in-person care, SingHealth’s phygital model positions AI as the connective tissue between physical touchpoints and virtual services — creating a seamless care continuum that adapts to patient needs across settings.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
Hospital ‘intelligentisation’ phase moves beyond basic digitization, HIMSS26 APAC speakers say
Healthcare technology leaders at HIMSS26 APAC described a new phase of hospital transformation moving beyond conventional digitization — the “intelligentisation” phase. Where traditional digital transformation focused on converting paper records to electronic systems and building basic workflows, intelligentisation aims to create data-aware, proactive, and compassionate digital health ecosystems. Rather than digitizing existing processes, hospitals in this phase redesign care delivery using AI, real-time analytics, and connected infrastructure. The concept, emerging from APAC health systems that have largely completed their initial digital transitions, may offer a blueprint for more mature health systems worldwide considering what comes next after the EHR era.
Sources: Healthcare IT News
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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