Family Medicine East, Chartered

An intruder threw a large rock through an office window of the covered entity (CE), and stole a password protected (but unencrypted) desktop computer that contained the protected health information (PHI) of approximately 6,800 individuals. The PHI in the stolen computer included demographic and clinical information. Following the breach, the CE provided breach notification to HHS, affected individuals, and the media and posted substitute notice. To prevent a similar breach from occurring in the future, the CE improved physical safeguards, encrypted workstations and computers, decreased the amount of PHI in its local network, utilized a secure cloud-based electronic medical record service, and enhanced its network security. Following OCR’s investigation, the CE sanctioned an employee, revised and updated its privacy and security policies and procedures, and retrained its workforce on privacy and security. OCR obtained documented assurances that the CE implemented the corrective actions noted above.