South Carolina optometry clinic breach leaks 60,000 patients’ data

An optometry clinic in Anderson, S.C., was involved in a ransomware attack that leaked the private information of over 60,000 patients, according to a July 27 report from Cybernews.

Advertisement

The cyberattack took place at Family Vision on May 21, 2023, and an alert was sent to 62,631 patients who were affected on July 26. 

The clinic’s server holding patients’ personal health information was encrypted after an unknown threat actor installed ransomware on the server. Once the clinic became aware of the attack, access to the server was disabled, an investigation began and law enforcement was alerted. 

The company disclosed on its website that personal health information may have been compromised, such as first and last name, birthday, Social Security number, driver’s license, address, phone number, email address and gender. However, they do not have any confirmed information that the data was “misused in any way,” according to the report. 

The clinic offered all affected patients free credit monitoring, a $1 million insurance reimbursement policy and identity theft protection services.

At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Register to Attend Webinar

Unlocking Structural Heart Capacity: How Leading Programs Use EMR and Data to Improve Patient Flow and Throughput

Wednesday, August 19
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT

Presenters: Katie Kennedy, MSN, APRN, NP-C, Community Heart and VascularMisty Theriot, BSN, RN, CPHQ, FACC, Lake Charles Memorial Health SystemKatie Worthington, DNP, RN, Atlantic Health SystemTaryn Shipley, MBA, CSSBB, Lean HealthTech

Advertisement

Next Up in Ophthalmology

  • East Lansing-based Michigan Surgical Center has disclosed a data breach that may have exposed personal information, according to a July…

  • Cincinnati-based MidWest Eye Center welcomed Alec Bradley, MD, an ophthalmologist who specializes in premium cataract surgery, refractive surgery, microinvasive glaucoma…

Advertisement

Comments are closed.