El Centro Del Barrio d/b/a CentroMed
Your Personal Info Could Be
Exposed Online After
This Hospital Breach
Breach Description
In June 2023, El Centro Del Barrio, doing business as CentroMed, experienced a significant data breach that impacted approximately 350,000 individuals. This incident was first detected on June 12, 2023, when CentroMed became aware of potential unauthorized activity within its IT network. A subsequent investigation confirmed that an unauthorized third party had accessed files on June 9, 2023, containing sensitive information related to current and former employees and patients[3][9].
The compromised data included a wide range of personal and medical information, such as names, addresses, birth dates, financial account details, Social Security numbers, health record numbers, medical insurance plan member IDs, and claims details[6]. In response to the breach, CentroMed notified affected individuals and implemented additional safeguards to enhance the security of its systems[2][3].
The breach has led to legal repercussions for CentroMed, with two class-action lawsuits filed against the organization. The lawsuits, filed by patients Jasmine Grace and Dawn Leal, allege that CentroMed failed to adequately protect their personal information, resulting in it being accessed by unauthorized parties. The plaintiffs claim they are now at an increased risk of identity theft and fraud and have incurred expenses in efforts to protect themselves. The lawsuits also criticize the delay in CentroMed’s notification process to the affected individuals, although it was within the timeframe permitted by the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule[6][13].
This incident is part of a larger trend of data breaches within the healthcare sector, highlighting the ongoing challenges organizations face in protecting sensitive patient information against cyber threats[2][3].
Citations:
- https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/centromed-files-notice-of-data-breach-2465113/
- https://www.beckersasc.com/asc-news/11-hospitals-health-systems-hit-by-data-breaches-in-4-weeks.html
- https://healthitsecurity.com/news/third-party-data-breaches-continue-to-dominate-breach-notifications
- https://www.chp.ca.gov/news-alerts
- https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/san-antonio-s-centromed-data-breach-affected-18300840.php
- https://www.calhipaa.com/centromed-allwell-behavioral-health-and-kaiser-faced-legal-actions/
- https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/s-a-health-care-provider-faces-2-potential-18338430.php
- https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando
- https://www.myinjuryattorney.com/centromed-data-breach-investigation/
- https://www.hipaaguidelines101.com/cyberattacks-reported-by-esset-researchers-morris-hospital-healthcare-centers-wellness-medication-clinics-and-centromed/
- https://securetrust.io/cybersecurity-insights/recent-attacks/hipaa-data-breach-report-august-2023/
- https://www.dhs.gov
- https://shublawyers.com/news/centromed-filing/
- https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/filings/DSQGMIFA/Grace_v_El_Centro_Del_Barrio__txwdce-23-01463__0001.1.pdf
- https://www.calhipaa.com
- https://therealdeal.com
- https://dockets.justia.com/docket/texas/txwdce/5:2023cv01092/1172754589
- https://konbriefing.com/en-topics/cyber-attacks.html
- https://www.hrc.org
- https://www.hipaajournal.com/august-2023-healthcare-data-breach-report/
- https://www.bexar.org/DocumentCenter/View/39286/CentroMed-20230418
- https://www.cpsc.gov
- https://newstral.com/en/article/en/1242520528/-centromed-files-notice-of-data-breach-affecting-350k-texans
- https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-txwd-5_23-cv-01092
- https://dockets.justia.com/docket/texas/txwdce/5:2023cv01200/1172757913