[BreachExchange] AltaMed alerts 5,500 patients of data breach

[Destry Winant]

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/cybersecurity/altamed-alerts-5-500-patients-of-data-breach.html

AltaMed Health Services Corp. has sent letters to 5,500 patients about
a security breach that may have impacted their personal health
information.

The company's business associate Sharecare Health Data Services
reported on Dec. 31, 2018, that a security incident occurred on a
network that held the information of some AltaMed patients. Sharecare
Health Data Services began noticing abnormal activity within its
network in June 2018.

Upon investigation, Sharecare Health Data Services determined an
unauthorized third-party gained access to its network in May 2018.
AltaMed began notifying patients in February.

The third-party had access to patient names, addresses, dates of birth
and unique identification numbers. Some names and addresses of
facilities that provider health services and some medical record
numbers may have also been affected.

"This incident was not the result of any action or inaction by AltaMed
and did not affect the integrity or security of AltaMed's digital
environment. AltaMed takes the security of information belonging to
its patients very seriously and, since learning of this incident, has
worked diligently to identify those AltaMed patients whose information
may have been affected for purposes of notification," AltaMed said in
a release.