Desert Physicians Management (DPM) reported a data breach on June 22, 2023, involving the compromise of confidential patient information. The breach affected individuals associated with healthcare providers like Choice Physicians Network and Horizon Valley Medical Group. The incident was detected after suspicious activity was noticed in DPM’s IT environment on April 23, 2023. Subsequent investigations confirmed unauthorized access to the network and potential removal of files containing sensitive data.
Following the confirmation of the breach, DPM took swift action to secure its network and engaged third-party cybersecurity specialists to investigate further. On May 18, 2023, it was confirmed that some files containing patient information had been accessed and potentially compromised. This prompted DPM to begin the process of reviewing affected files to determine the extent of the breach and which individuals were impacted.
To address the breach, DPM initiated the process of notifying all individuals whose information was compromised. Data breach notification letters were sent out to affected individuals, informing them about the security incident and the potential exposure of their personal and clinical information. The breach underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in safeguarding sensitive healthcare data and highlights the ongoing threat posed by cyberattacks to healthcare organizations and patient privacy.
