ParkTree Community Health Center, also known as Pomona Community Health Center, notified patients of a data breach that occurred on February 7, 2024. An unauthorized third party accessed its network, potentially exposing sensitive patient information, including names, dates of birth, health plan identification numbers, medical record numbers, contact information, gender, and clinical information such as diagnoses, medications, and doctor’s notes. Fortunately, Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers were not compromised, reducing the risk of identity theft.
The breach was reported to the California Attorney General, and patients were advised to remain vigilant by monitoring their account statements, explanation of benefits, and credit reports for any suspicious activity. While the exposed information may not directly lead to identity theft, patients were warned of potential misuse of their personal and medical data.
ParkTree Community Health Center expressed regret for the incident and reassured patients that they take security seriously. The health center stated that they are taking steps to improve their security measures and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. They are reviewing and updating their security policies and procedures as part of this effort.
In addition to the patient notifications, the breach has been reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights, revealing that the incident impacted 40,964 individuals. ParkTree Community Health Center continues to work on strengthening its data protection efforts to safeguard patient information going forward.
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