Black River Medical informs patients of potential data breach

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Black River Medical Center said in a statement late last week it has become aware of a potential data security incident that may have resulted in the inadvertent exposure of some patients' personal information.

"At this time there is no evidence that patient information was actually accessed or viewed, or any indication that anyone's information was actually misused, Black River Medical Center has taken steps to notify any patients who may have been affected in this incident by sending them letters," according to the statement.

"On April 23, 2018, Black River Medical Center discovered that an employee's email account was compromised as the result of a phishing attack. Their IT department immediately commenced an investigation to determine whether sensitive information in the account was at risk. The investigation determined that an unknown, unauthorized third party gained access to the employee's email account and could have viewed or accessed the information contained within this account, which included patients' names, addresses and phone numbers, and in certain instances, limited treatment information.

"Fortunately, Social Security numbers or financial/billing information were not involved in this incident.

"At this time, there is no evidence that the unauthorized party actually accessed or viewed any patient information in the email account, and Black River Medical Center is not aware of any misuse of patient information. The notification letters mailed [Friday] include additional information about what occurred and a toll-free number that patients can call to learn more about the incident," the statement said.

"The privacy and protection of patient information is a top priority for Black River Medical Center, which regrets any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause."

The call center is available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1 (800) 939-4170.

More information can be found at stage.myidcare.com/BlackRiverMedicalCenter.