Bloom Health Centers

Bloom Health Centers, operating under Psych Associates of Maryland LLC, experienced a data security incident that was first identified on July 5, 2023, when suspicious activity was detected in their email environment. An investigation, assisted by a leading computer forensics firm, revealed that an unauthorized party accessed certain files within a clinician’s mailbox around June 23, 2023, and subsequently gained access to the associated OneDrive[1][4][6][10].

The breach potentially exposed personal and protected health information of certain clinicians and patients. The types of information that may have been compromised include names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, diagnosis and medication details, health insurance information, and for a limited number of individuals, Social Security numbers[1][4]. The total number of affected individuals was reported to be 1,654[6][7].

Bloom Health Centers has taken steps to enhance the security of its digital environment to minimize the likelihood of a similar event occurring in the future. They have also established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident[1]. As of the time of the reports, there was no evidence to suggest misuse or attempted misuse of the information involved in the breach[1][6].

Affected individuals were notified on September 11, 2023, and provided with information about the incident and steps they can take to protect their information. However, it is noted that identity theft protection services were not offered[1][7]. The incident was reported to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on September 1, 2023[6][10].

Bloom Health Centers serves patients in Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware through 12 office locations and online telehealth appointments. The organization offers a range of mental health services, including psychiatry, talk therapy, esketamine treatments, and transcranial magnetic stimulation[4].

Citations:

1. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/psych-associates-of-maryland-llc-dba-bloom-health-centers-bloom-health-provides-notice-of-data-security-incident-301923894.html
2. https://apps.web.maine.gov/online/aeviewer/ME/40/19d76ad4-5e43-406c-8508-c887fea9727e/c6b80a13-a267-46da-bae3-4aa616c8bfcc/document.html
3. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA764746324&it=r&p=AONE&sid=sitemap&sw=w&v=2.1
4. https://www.turkestrauss.com/2023/09/12/bloom-health-centers-data-breach-investigation/
5. https://www.cleveland.com/open/2020/01/bloom-medicinals-investigating-reported-ohio-medical-marijuana-patient-data-breach.html
6. https://www.databreaches.net/bloom-health-centers-discloses-data-breach-involving-mental-health-data-of-1545-patients/
7. https://apps.web.maine.gov/online/aeviewer/ME/40/19d76ad4-5e43-406c-8508-c887fea9727e.shtml
8. https://seculore.com/state/maryland/09-12-2023-md-bloom-health/
9. https://www.hipaajournal.com/60000-individuals-affected-by-texas-medical-liability-trust-data-breach/
10. https://cybermaterial.com/patient-data-breach-at-bloom-health/
11. https://www.defensorum.com/cyberattacks-and-data-breaches-reported-by-texas-medical-liability-trust-bloom-health-centers-and-other-healthcare-organizations/