Einstein Health Suffers Possible Patient Data Breach

Einstein Healthcare Network may have suffered a data breach, they announced Thursday, and they are sending letters home to patients that may have been effected.

The incident involved a website database containing patient information entered into Einstein’s website “Request for Information” form, Einstein said.

The website database had inadvertently been left accessible via the internet. Einstein learned of this on February 2, 2016. This incident did not involve any of Einstein’s electronic patient medical record systems or any hacking or virus infection.

This incident did not affect all Einstein patients, but only approximately 3,000 certain patients who entered information into its website “Request for Information” form prior to February 2016.

Upon learning of the incident, Einstein immediately secured the website database and removed it from public view. Einstein also immediately began an internal investigation and determined that the website database may have contained patients’ names, telephone numbers, reasons for submitting the requests, physicians’ names and health information, if any, entered into the website form. The website database did not contain Social Security numbers, financial information, or electronic patient medical records.

In response to this incident, Einstein said they have secured the website database and is enhancing its security measures for its website.

Einstein has established a dedicated call center for the incident.

Einstein has locations in East Norriton, Elkins Park, Philadelphia, and Lower Providence.

Image via Einstein Health.