Portland, Oregon – The Multnomah County Health Center disclosed that over 1,000 clients might have had their personal information compromised in April, as per an announcement by the county health department on Friday.

Breach Details

• Affected Individuals: The breach impacted 1,092 clients.
• Data Accessed: Personal details including names, medical record numbers, Medicaid IDs, dates of birth, gender, race, ethnicity, clinic details, and dates of service were potentially accessed.
• Sensitive Information: Social Security numbers and drivers’ license numbers were among the data accessed.

Response Measures

The health department has initiated the process of notifying the affected clients. They will receive detailed instructions on enrolling in a free identity theft protection program provided by the county.

Incident Timeline

• March 4: A staff member was terminated from the Community Health Center and failed to return their county-issued laptop.
• April 24: Suspicious activity on the laptop triggered an alert from one of the county’s antimalware systems.
• Investigation: It was found that the former employee had accessed two spreadsheets containing protected health information.

Security Measures Implemented

• Remote Data Wipe: The IT team remotely erased the laptop’s contents upon detecting the suspicious activity.
• Enhanced Security: Additional measures are being implemented to prevent unauthorized access in the future.

Legal Action

The county has taken legal steps by filing a police report with the Portland Police Bureau after unsuccessful attempts to retrieve the laptop from the former employee.

This incident underscores the importance of robust data security measures in healthcare institutions to safeguard sensitive patient information.

Source: KPTV-KPDX, 2024.

Conclusion

The breach at Multnomah County Health Center highlights the ongoing challenges in protecting personal data. As technology advances, so must security measures to prevent unauthorized access and protect individuals’ privacy. Stay informed about such incidents by downloading The Local News App for updates and insights.

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