Essen Medical Associates, P.C.

Essen Medical Associates, P.C., also known as Essen Health Care, experienced a significant data breach that was first detected on March 17, 2023. This breach involved unauthorized access to the company’s IT network, which occurred between March 14, 2023, and March 22, 2023. The breach resulted in the exposure of sensitive patient information, including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, government-issued identification or passport information, demographic information, and protected health information[1][4][8][14].

Following the discovery of the breach, Essen Health Care undertook an investigation to ascertain the extent of the breach and the specific data that was compromised. The investigation confirmed that an unauthorized party had indeed accessed certain systems within Essen’s network during the specified period and may have copied files containing confidential patient information[1][6].

In response to the breach, Essen Medical Associates began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were impacted by the security incident. These letters were intended to inform affected individuals about the breach and advise them on steps they could take to protect themselves against potential identity theft and fraud[4].

Essen Health Care is a multi-specialty healthcare group based in the Bronx, New York, providing a wide range of medical services, including primary, urgent, specialty, and virtual care. The organization employs over 300 providers and serves communities throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Long Island, Staten Island, and Westchester County[8].

The breach at Essen Medical Associates, P.C. is part of a larger trend of cyberattacks targeting healthcare organizations, which often hold vast amounts of sensitive personal and health information. These incidents underscore the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and prompt incident response strategies to protect patient data and maintain trust in healthcare providers[1][4][8][14].

Citations:

1. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/essen-health-care-announces-data-breach-1435562/
2. https://www.mass.gov/doc/assigned-data-breach-number-31247-essen-medical-associates-pc/download
3. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/console–associates-pc-east-river-medical-imaging-reports-data-breach-exposing-social-security-numbers-and-other-sensitive-information-of-605k-patients-and-employees-302008156.html
4. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/essen-medical-associates-p-c-files-2691329/
5. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/console–associates-pc-healthec-reports-data-breach-exposing-social-security-numbers-of-4-4-million-patients-at-17-healthcare-providers-302025423.html
6. https://www.myinjuryattorney.com/essen-health-care-data-breach-class-action-investigation-and-lawsuit-assistance/
7. https://trellis.law/doc/137447532/exhibit-s-b-motion-002-summons-complaint-action-ii
8. https://www.turkestrauss.com/2023/06/16/essen-health-care-data-breach-investigation/
9. https://www.itgovernanceusa.com/blog/cyber-security-and-data-privacy-in-the-usa-january-1-7-2024
10. https://www.idstrong.com/sentinel/essen-health-care-suffered-data-breach/
11. https://trellis.law/doc/129679959/summons-complaint
12. https://www.myinjuryattorney.com/essen-medical-associates-p-c-data-breach-investigation/
13. https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/chief-compliance-officer-essen-medical-associates-JV_IC1132197_KO0,24_KE25,49.htm?jl=1009063939493
14. https://beyondmachines.net/event_details/essen-health-care-reports-data-breach-exposing-patient-data-v-r-s-g-5
15. https://konbriefing.com/en-topics/cyber-attacks.html
16. https://pix11.com/news/local-news/bronx/exclusive-patients-records-may-have-been-leaked-after-bronx-medical-worker-was-hacked/