DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

UnityPoint Health notifies 1,800 patients after contractor's employee inappropriately accessed electronic medical records

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Dissent

Business Record reports:

Law enforcement personnel are investigating a data breach of West Des Moines-based UnityPoint Health‘s electronic medical records (EMR) system.

Personal information of approximately 1,800 hospital patients from across UnityPoint Health’s operating regions may be at risk from the security breach in the system, which was discovered Aug. 8 during the course of regular audit, the health system said in a press release.

UnityPoint opened a review and discovered that an individual employed by a third-party company and not authorized to access the system, had gained access to the EMR system by using a password of individuals who were authorized to access the system for medical purposes.

The unauthorized access occurred from February through August 2013. Information that may have been accessed for the impacted patients include names, home addresses, dates of birth, medical and health insurance account numbers and health information related to patient treatment.

In addition, for less than 10 percent of impacted patients, Social Security numbers and/or driver’s license numbers may have been viewed. For four impacted patients, the unauthorized user also accessed information about the patients’ financially responsible party.

UnityPoint has sent letters to all affected patients, and is offering a credit monitoring product to adults and families of minors affected. Individuals seeking more information or to ask questions directly, may call a special toll-free line which has been set up for this event at (877) 223-3817.

Callers will need to use reference number 6688100113. The call center is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. 6 p.m.

UnityPoint Health, formerly known as Iowa Health System has a network of hospitals and locations, including:

  • UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids
  • UnityPoint Health – Des Moines
  • UnityPoint Health – Dubuque
  • UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge
  • UnityPoint Health – Peoria
  • UnityPoint Health – Quad Cities/Muscatine
  • UnityPoint Health – Sioux City
  • UnityPoint Health – Waterloo

It’s nice to hear that the breach was discovered by routine auditing. It would be helpful to know what the individual’s motivation was  – were these data being accessed for some fraud scheme involving medical ID theft or tax refund fraud?


Related:

  • Qantas obtains injunction to prevent hacked data’s release
  • Ransomware attack disrupts Korea's largest guarantee insurer
  • Theft from Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital sparks probe
  • Global operation targets NoName057(16) pro-Russian cybercrime network in Operation Eastwood
  • More than 100 British government personnel exposed by Ministry of Defence data leak
  • New TeleMessage SGNL Flaw Is Actively Being Exploited by Attackers
Category: Uncategorized

Post navigation

← Statement from St. Mary's Janesville Hospital
HHS's breach reporting: has it lived up to its promises and mandates – Sound off! →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Government will ‘robustly defend’ compensation claims from Afghans put at risk by data breach
  • Authorities released free decryptor for Phobos and 8base ransomware
  • Singapore Facing ‘Serious’ Cyberattack by Espionage Group With Alleged China Ties
  • Missouri Adopts New Data Breach Notice Law
  • Qantas obtains injunction to prevent hacked data’s release
  • Ransomware attack disrupts Korea’s largest guarantee insurer
  • Theft from Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital sparks probe
  • Global operation targets NoName057(16) pro-Russian cybercrime network in Operation Eastwood
  • More than 100 British government personnel exposed by Ministry of Defence data leak
  • New TeleMessage SGNL Flaw Is Actively Being Exploited by Attackers

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • 𝐔𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚‑𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝟑𝟎 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.
  • Meta investors, Zuckerberg reach settlement to end $8 billion trial over Facebook privacy violations
  • ICE is gaining access to trove of Medicaid records, adding new peril for immigrants
  • Microsoft can’t protect French data from US government access
  • Texas Enacts Electronic Health Record Data Localization Law
  • Upstate NY county clerk again refuses to enforce Texas abortion judgment
  • Attorney General James Leads Coalition Urging Congress to Protect Americans from Masked ICE Agents

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.