DaVita Inc., one of America’s largest providers of kidney dialysis services, disclosed Monday that it was hit by a ransomware attack over the weekend that encrypted portions of its network and is affecting some operations at its facilities.
The Fortune 500 healthcare giant, which operates more than 2,600 outpatient dialysis centers serving approximately 200,000 patients across the United States, reported the cybersecurity incident in an SEC Form 8-K filing.
“On April 12, 2025, DaVita Inc. became aware of a ransomware incident that has encrypted certain elements of our network,” the company stated in its filing.
“Upon discovery, we activated our response protocols and implemented containment measures, including proactively isolating impacted systems.”
The timing of the attack, occurring on Saturday when IT staffing is typically reduced, follows a common pattern used by ransomware groups looking to maximize damage before security teams can respond effectively.
Despite the breach, DaVita stated that patient care remains its priority and continues uninterrupted at its facilities.
“We have implemented our contingency plans, and we continue to provide patient care,” the company stated.
However, the company was unable to provide a timeline for full restoration of affected systems.
“While we have implemented interim measures to allow for the restoration of certain functions, we cannot estimate the duration or extent of the disruption at this time,” it said.
Cybersecurity experts note that modern ransomware attacks typically involve not just encryption but also data theft, which attackers use as additional leverage to demand payment.
DaVita acknowledged this possibility in its disclosure, noting that the investigation is ongoing and the full scope of the incident, including potential data theft, has not yet been determined.
“Given the recency of the incident, our investigation and response are ongoing, and the full scope, nature, and potential ultimate impact on the Company are not yet known,” it said.
The attack represents the latest in a troubling trend of cyberattacks targeting US healthcare providers.
Last year, UnitedHealth Group’s tech unit suffered a ransomware attack that compromised the personal information of approximately 100 million people and severely disrupted health insurance claims processing, including claims involving DaVita.
Additionally, one of DaVita’s main competitors, Fresenius Medical Care, experienced a significant data breach in 2023 that exposed medical records of 500,000 patients.
As of this reporting, no ransomware group has publicly claimed responsibility for the DaVita attack, and the company has not issued any statements on its website or social media channels regarding potential disruptions at its dialysis centers.
DaVita employs approximately 76,000 people across 12 countries and reported annual revenue exceeding $12.8 billion in its most recent financial reports.
In February, DaVita announced financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2024.
“Despite a year with unique hurdles, we finished strong in 2024, producing full year adjusted operating income and adjusted EPS in the top half of our guidance range,” said Javier Rodriquez, CEO of DaVita Inc.
“As we embark on 2025, when we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of DaVita, we look forward to continuing our efforts to improve clinical outcomes, enhance quality of life for our patients and teammates, and be a force for positive change in the healthcare system.”
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