Community First Medical Center

Community First Medical Center, located at 5645 W. Addison St. in Chicago, Illinois, experienced a significant data breach on July 12, 2023. The breach was publicly disclosed in a letter sent to patients on September 26, 2023, and also announced on the hospital’s website[1][4]. The incident involved unauthorized access to sensitive patient information, including full names, telephone numbers, email addresses, Social Security numbers, medical record numbers, and Medicare numbers. A total of 216,047 patients were affected by this breach[1][4].

The hospital has stated that there is no evidence that the compromised personal information has been misused. However, as a precaution, Community First Medical Center is offering free credit monitoring services to those whose Social Security numbers were accessed[1]. Patients have also been advised to place a security freeze and fraud alert on their credit reports[1].

The law firm Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP is investigating on behalf of the patients whose information may have been stolen, and it is possible that the compromised personal medical information is being offered for sale on the dark web[2]. Another law firm, Markovits, Stock & DeMarco, LLC, is also investigating claims on behalf of victims of the data breach[8].

Community First Medical Center has taken steps to safeguard personal information and is continually evaluating and modifying its practices to enhance the security and privacy of the personal information it maintains[1][4]. Patients seeking more information about the breach or wishing to know if they are eligible for free credit monitoring can contact the hospital’s dedicated toll-free number[1].

Citations:

1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/10/10/community-first-medical-center-in-portage-park-suffers-large-scale-data-breach/
2. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/community-first-medical-center-data-breach-alert-issued-by-wolf-haldenstein-adler-freeman–herz-llp-301946314.html
3. https://www.torrancememorial.org
4. https://www.hipaajournal.com/community-first-medical-center-data-breach/
5. https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-rescues-2-hostages-from-south-gazas-rafah-in-daring-nighttime-operation/
6. https://www.cfmedicalcenter.com/data-security-incident/
7. https://www.ecommunity.com
8. https://www.msdlegal.com/blog/2023/09/community-first-medical-center-data-breach-class-action-lawsuit-investigation/
9. https://www.northwell.edu
10. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/notice-imposition-cmp-community-first-medical-center-redacted.pdf
11. https://www.humana.com
12. https://www.forthepeople.com/blog/community-first-medical-center-suffers-over-200k-record-data-breach/
13. https://atriumhealth.org
14. https://www.paubox.com/news/patient-data-leaked-in-community-first-medical-center-breach
15. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/14/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/
16. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/community-first-medical-center-sends-1266901/
17. https://hhs.iowa.gov