June 4, 2021 Notice: Theft of External Hard Drive from NorthWest Congenital Heart Care Containing Patient Information
On the morning of May 7, 2021, Pediatrix Cardiology of Washington, P.C. d/b/a NorthWest Congenital Heart Care (“NWCHC”), a provider of comprehensive pediatric cardiac care in the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area, discovered that an unauthorized third party entered the office of a single NWCHC physician during the early morning of May 7, 2021 and stole an external hard drive used for data backup purposes. NWCHC immediately contacted law enforcement and began a review to determine what information may have been included on the external hard drive. Based on the review, we have determined that the external hard drive contained personal information for certain patients of this NWCHC physician, as well as for a small number of guardians or guarantors of the patients. Based upon our review of this matter, we are not aware of any actual or attempted misuse of personal information as a result of this event.
The patient information may have included:
- patient contact information (such as patient name, date of birth, and age);
- medical and/or treatment information (dates of service, location, physician name, services requested or procedures performed, diagnosis codes, diagnosis or treatment descriptions, and Medical Record Numbers); and
- for one individual, health insurance information.
The external hard drive did not contain Social Security numbers or financial account information. Please note that not all data fields may have been involved for all individuals.
NWCHC takes the security of personal information seriously. We have and continue to enhance our security controls to minimize the risk of any similar event in the future, including eliminating external hard drive data backups.
Although no Social Security numbers and financial information were involved, and only one individual’s health insurance information was involved, affected individuals are encouraged to carefully review credit reports and statements sent from providers as well as their insurance company to ensure that all account activity is valid; any questionable charges should be promptly reported to the provider’s billing office, or for insurance statements, to their insurance company. NWCHC is also providing additional information on general steps individuals can take to monitor and safeguard their personal information in the Reference Guide.
Individuals who may have been impacted by this event are being mailed notices. Since it is possible there may be insufficient or out-of-date contact information for some individuals, we are making this notice accessible via NWCHC’s website in accordance with HIPAA requirements.
Individuals may visit http://www.nwchcevent.com or call toll-free 855-535-1862 to ask questions and learn additional information. This call center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding major US holidays. This substitute notice will remain posted for at least 90 days.
