Healthgrades names UMC Health System a 2027 leader in specialty care. By News Release Published: Oct. 29, 2026 at 1:06 PM PDT Provided by UMC Health System LUBBOCK, TX (NEWS RELEASE) - UMC Health System announced today that it has earned top honors for clinical quality from Healthgrades, the #1 site Americans use to find a doctor or hospital. Among UMC's recognitions is the Vascular Surgery Excellence Award(TM), which places the hospital among the top 10% nationwide for Vascular Surgery. UMC was also named one of Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals for Vascular Surgery(TM) and earned the Five-Star Recipient for Carotid Procedures recognition. "These recognitions reflect UMC's commitment to clinical excellence and the dedication of our physicians, nurses and care teams to deliver high-quality specialty care," said Monica Beardemphl, Chief Experience Officer at UMC Health System. "We continually strive to improve patient outcomes and ensure our community has access to exceptional, specialized care close to home." UMC's achievements are based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. Unlike rankings based on surveys or reputation, Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance strictly on objective clinical outcomes-risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates-across more than 30 common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide. The impact of choosing a high-performing hospital is significant. Healthgrades' 2027 analysis revealed that if all hospitals performed at the level of five-star rated facilities during the 2023-2025 study period, 227,229 lives could have been saved and 158,138 complications could have been avoided.* "Finding a hospital that excels in a given procedure or treatment can transform a patient's health trajectory," said Alana Biggers, MD, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. "We're proud to recognize UMC Health System for its top-tier performance in Vascular Surgery, and commend its team for delivering exceptional patient outcomes when it matters most." Patients and community members can visit Healthgrades' Specialty Excellence Patient Advocate Center to learn more about how Healthgrades identifies the top-performing hospitals for specialty care. *Statistical averages based on Healthgrades' analysis of MedPAR data for years 2023 through 2025 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. To learn more about how Healthgrades determines the top hospitals for specialty care, view the complete 2027 Specialty Excellence Awards and Ratings Methodology. About Healthgrades Healthgrades is dedicated to empowering meaningful connections between patients, doctors, and hospitals. As the #1 platform for finding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, we help millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatment-focused content. For over 20 years, our health system, group practice, and life sciences marketing solutions have helped our partners reach and engage consumers on their way to the doctor. About UMC Health System UMC Health System is a national award-winning health system comprised of over 5,500 team members and more than 60 care locations. We are proud to be the primary teaching hospital to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and to provide the best care to West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. Whether you are managing a chronic condition, dealing with an unexpected illness, or simply working to stay healthy, we are passionate about getting you well and helping you stay that way. To learn more, visit umchealthsystem.com. At UMC, Our Passion is You.

What the DfE's cyber security update means for multi-academy trusts. 2026-08-25 01:08 Before dawn on 10 July 2024, one ransomware attack took down ten schools inside the same multi-academy trust at once. Every control that eventually stopped it was something the Department for Education's own cyber security standard already asked for, well before the attack. That's a case DfE has published on its own Cyber Security Hub, [...] Read the original article: A 28-year-old Russian man has been taken into custody by the Ukraine cyber police in Kyiv for his involvement in the Conti and LockBit ransomware operations, which involved making their malware impervious to antivirus software and carrying out at least one attack personally. The Dutch police, who responded to a... Trying Cybersecurity And Penetration Testing Tools June 15, 2024 UMC Health System was hit by a ransomware attack at the end of September. The attack caused the healthcare institution to divert patients to other clinics. Initially, the healthcare provider was unable to process messages from the patient portal. Also, their website was unavailable for a period. Three days after... October 2, 2024 The National Cyber Security Centre Finland announced a surge in Akira ransomware attacks. Threat actors used Akira malware in six out of the seven ransomware attacks reported in December 2023. The attackers used VPNs that lacked multi-factor authentication. They exploited CVE-2023-20269 on Cisco ASA or FTD devices and obtained initial... January 18, 2024