No, I Don't Need Gift Cards

I have a confession to make: I recently got scammed by our own IT team.

An email landed in my inbox from “ceo@gbmc.org.” 

It read: “Paari, are you available? I need gift cards for a select group of clients and have to send them out in less than an hour.”

Now, before you become too concerned about the judgment of your CEO, this was a simulated phishing attack from our IT team, one of the tests they conduct to help keep all of us on our toes. I passed, by the way.

And in another instance, a team member let me know that someone was posing as me via text message, once again asking for gift cards, this time supposedly to surprise staff.

So, let me clear up a few things: I will never email or text you asking you to run out and buy gift cards. And despite what a message in your inbox may claim, I am also not an overseas prince who needs your assistance transferring a large sum of money.

The humor helps make the point memorable, but the issue itself is serious.

A new phishing scam is circulating across the country using the MyChart name. Patients have received emails and text messages offering a “MyChart Medicare Kit” or “Senior Health Package.” The messages are fraudulent. They are not coming from GBMC HealthCare or Epic’s MyChart platform, and the links may be designed to steal personal information.

GBMC is among dozens of health systems across the country warning patients about this scam.

It’s easy to understand why criminals use a trusted name like MyChart. When people are seeking healthcare, they can be particularly vulnerable. They may be worried about a diagnosis, caring for a loved one, trying to understand their insurance, or simply attempting to navigate a healthcare system that can already be complicated. A message that appears to come from a trusted healthcare organization can catch someone at exactly the wrong moment.

Unfortunately, scammers know that.

Healthcare organizations themselves are also frequent targets. I know firsthand how disruptive a successful cyberattack can be. During my time at Kent Hospital in Rhode Island, we experienced an attack that shut down our computer systems for about a week. GBMC HealthCare has experienced a significant cyberattack as well. These events don't simply create an IT problem. They can disrupt nearly every aspect of an organization and make it much harder for healthcare teams to do their most important job: care for patients.

That’s why cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility.

Our IT team does tremendous work protecting our systems, but technology alone cannot eliminate the risk. Every one of us is part of the defense. That’s why we complete mandatory cybersecurity training each year and why the team sends simulated phishing emails like the one that caught my attention.

The same vigilance applies outside of work.

Pause before clicking a link in an unexpected email or text. Look carefully at the sender. Be suspicious of urgency, especially when someone says you need to act “within the hour.” Be wary of offers that sound too good to be true. And never provide personal, financial, or health information simply because a message looks official.

When something feels off, stop and verify it through a source you already trust rather than using the link or phone number in the suspicious message.

In healthcare, we talk often about being preoccupied with failure. It’s a principle of high reliability: we pay attention to small warning signs because they can help us prevent something much bigger from happening.

Cybersecurity requires that same mindset.

One strange email. One slightly unusual sender address. One unexpected request. One link you decide not to click. Those small moments of vigilance can protect you, our patients, and our entire health system.

So please help us spread the word about the fake MyChart Medicare Kit, particularly to family members, friends, patients, and older adults who may receive one of these messages. And keep bringing that same healthy skepticism to everything that lands in your own inbox or on your phone.

And if you get a message from “me” urgently asking for gift cards?

Delete it.

If I really need something, I promise I'll find a better way to ask. 

Employee Spotlight

Robert Donegan, MD

Chief, Division of Medical Oncology

Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute

How long have you been at GBMC HealthCare?

25 years

What is one key way you support a zero harm/safety culture?

I recognize that we are human and that I, like all of us, make unintended errors while striving to provide the best patient care. I embrace the "Just Culture" approach to addressing such errors. It's not about pointing fingers... it is about constructively working together to constantly improve a system that understands and anticipates this human fallibility.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Relationships! The camaraderie with my team members and the deep connections made with my patients and their families are why I love coming to work every day.

What's one unique thing we'd be surprised to learn about you?

I began my hospital career 45 years ago as a dishwasher in the basement of Howard County General Hospital. As a result, I have a deep appreciation for EVERYONE'S important contribution to quality care.