Patient gets biopsy in U.S. after she says she was denied in Ontario due to ransomware attack

Amherstburg, Ont., resident Jennifer Duguay says she's still in disbelief that she crossed the border to get a biopsy after she was denied care in Windsor due to ongoing hospital delays caused by a ransomware attack.

The 52-year-old said that after three weeks of dealing with a large rash on her chest, her family doctor told her she might have inflammatory breast cancer — a rare and aggressive type. 

She says her doctor told her she would be referred to Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) for an urgent biopsy. But days later, on Nov. 8, Duguay said the hospital's Breast Health Centre called and told her it couldn't be done because computer systems were still down from a cyberattack. 

"[I was in] absolute shock that my doctor's referring me for something that's an emergency and I'm being told no? Absolute shock," she said. "I was very upset ... and I said, 'this is my life, what are you talking about?'"

Duguay also says she was told that she couldn't go outside of the region to get the biopsy done in London or Toronto. 

"I don't understand why this was an emergency here and I was told no," she said. 

"I would like an answer to my face, what is the reason why you said no to me? Did you even look at the referral?" 

WATCH: Duguay says she wants to know why she was denied a biopsy she felt was an emergency

WRH is one of five health-care facilities in southwestern Ontario that has been trying to recover from a ransomware attack that happened on Oct. 23. As a result of clinical and non-clinical systems being impacted, the hospital has said that procedures might be cancelled or delayed, but that these appointments will be rescheduled. 

Feeling like she had no other option, Duguay says she called Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. 

Though it's been years since she's crossed the border for anything, Duguay says she knew she couldn't wait around for answers. 

Shortly after she reached out to Henry Ford on Nov. 8, she says she was at the hospital getting a 3D ultrasound and biopsy. About 26 hours later, she found out that she was negative for inflammatory breast cancer. 

She's since been told that her procedures will cost $1,365 US — a bill that she says she'll be sending to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). 

In a text message, WRH spokesperson Steve Erwin declined an interview and said that the hospital can't get into specifics due to patient confidentiality.