Proliance Surgeons

Proliance Surgeons, a healthcare practice headquartered in Seattle, Washington, experienced multiple data security incidents affecting its patients and online payment platform users. Here’s a detailed overview of the breaches:

November 2019 – June 2020 Online Payment Platform Breach

Between November 13, 2019, and June 24, 2020, Proliance Surgeons’ online payment platform was compromised, potentially exposing payment card information of customers who made payments online. The exposed information may have included cardholder names, payment card account numbers, expiration dates, and zip codes. It’s important to note that in-person or phone payments were not affected, and patient healthcare information remained secure. Proliance Surgeons responded by securing the online payment platform, launching a new website with enhanced security measures, and offering resources to help customers protect their payment card information[1].

February 2023 Cyberattack and Data Breach

On or around February 11, 2023, Proliance Surgeons fell victim to a cyberattack that led to the encryption of certain files on their network. This incident resulted in unauthorized access to a wide range of personal and protected health information, including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, medical treatment information, health insurance information, phone numbers, email addresses, financial account numbers, driver’s license or other identification information, and usernames and passwords. The breach affected approximately 437,392 individuals. Proliance Surgeons took immediate action to protect patients’ private information, enhance cybersecurity protocols, and began notifying affected individuals[2][3][4][5].

Legal and Regulatory Response

Following the February 2023 data breach, Proliance Surgeons faced legal action. A class action lawsuit was filed against the organization, alleging failure to adequately protect patient data as required by federal and state law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The lawsuit also criticized the time taken to discover and notify affected individuals of the breach. The plaintiff and similarly situated individuals claimed to have suffered identity theft, fraud, and other damages as a result of the breach[7].

Conclusion

Proliance Surgeons has experienced significant data security incidents affecting hundreds of thousands of individuals. These breaches have led to the exposure of sensitive personal and financial information, prompting legal action and raising concerns about data protection practices within the healthcare provider. Proliance Surgeons has taken steps to enhance security measures and notify affected individuals, but the incidents underscore the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in protecting patient and customer information.

Citations:

1. https://proliancesurgeons.com/resource/notice-of-data-security-incident/
2. https://www.myinjuryattorney.com/proliance-surgeons-data-breach-investigation-and-lawsuit-assistance/
3. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/proliance-surgeons-announces-cyber-1106483/
4. https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article282434088.html
5. https://www.hipaajournal.com/almost-440000-individuals-affected-by-cyberattack-on-proliance-surgeons/
6. https://www.justice4you.com/blog/proliance-surgeons-data-breach.html
7. https://www.hipaajournal.com/proliance-surgeons-sued-over-ransomware-attack-and-data-breach/
8. https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/technology/almost-440k-individuals-affected-cyberattack-proliance-surgeons-wa
9. https://www.turkestrauss.com/2023/11/22/proliance-surgeons-data-breach-investigation/