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The HIPAA Journal is the leading provider of HIPAA training, news, regulatory updates, and independent compliance advice.

St. Anthony Hospital in Chicago Notifies Patients About February Data Breach

Data breaches have recently been announced by St. Anthony Hospital in Chicago, Intercommunity Action in Pennsylvania, and Munson Healthcare in Michigan.

St. Anthony Hospital

St. Anthony Hospital in Chicago, IL, has recently discovered unauthorized access to certain employees’ email accounts. The unauthorized access was identified on February 6, 2025, and third-party cybersecurity experts were engaged to determine the nature and scope of the unauthorized activity and the extent of any data exposure or theft.

The investigation confirmed that the compromised email accounts contained the personal and protected health information of patients and staff members. The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights breach portal shows that the protected health information of 6,679 was exposed. Information potentially compromised in the incident included names, addresses, telephone numbers, birth dates, Social Security numbers, dates of service, medical record numbers, patient account numbers, medical histories, diagnoses/conditions, treatment information, and prescription information. While sensitive information has been exposed, St. Anthony Hospital has not detected any misuse of the exposed data.

Intercommunity Action Inc.

Intercommunity Action, a Philadelphia, PA-based provider of resources for aging, behavioral health, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has notified 2,680 individuals about a recent data security incident involving unauthorized access to its computer network. The security breach was identified on May 29, 2025, and the forensic investigation confirmed that unauthorized connections had been made to its network from May 28, 2025, to May 29, 2025. During that time, files were exfiltrated from its network, and Intercommunity Action warned that the stolen data had potentially been made available online. Intercommunity Action is unaware of any instances of data misuse as a result of the incident.

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A review of the affected files revealed that they contained patient information such as first and last names, dates of birth, addresses, Social Security Numbers, driver’s license numbers, state identification numbers, bank account information, credit card numbers, other financial information, claims information, diagnosis/conditions, medications, or other treatment information. The types of information involved varied from individual to individual.

As a precaution against misuse of the affected data, individuals whose Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, state ID numbers, and/or bank account information were involved have been offered complimentary identity theft protection services. Steps have also been implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future, including changing passwords, blocking the unauthorized users’ IP addresses, and implementing additional safeguards to strengthen security.

Munson Healthcare

Munson Healthcare, the largest health system in Northern Michigan, has notified 1,186 patients about a mis-mailing incident caused by an error when migrating patient information to a new computer system. The error occurred on January 25, 2025, and resulted in the individual responsible for paying bills being accidentally changed to someone who was previously responsible. The issue was not detected until June 2, 2025.

As a result of the error, some patients’ bills were sent to the wrong individuals. An investigation was launched to determine the root cause of the error and the patients affected. The errors in the data were changed and updated to the correct bill payer, and a technical fix was implemented on June 24, 2025, to prevent further bills from being sent to incorrect individuals. Data impermissibly disclosed was limited to a patient’s name, location of services, balance owed, insurance type, and the type of service. The affected individuals have been advised to review the bills issued after January 25, 2025, to ensure that the billing information is correct.

Author: Steve Alder is the editor-in-chief of The HIPAA Journal. Steve is responsible for editorial policy regarding the topics covered in The HIPAA Journal. He is a specialist on healthcare industry legal and regulatory affairs, and has 10 years of experience writing about HIPAA and other related legal topics. Steve has developed a deep understanding of regulatory issues surrounding the use of information technology in the healthcare industry and has written hundreds of articles on HIPAA-related topics. Steve shapes the editorial policy of The HIPAA Journal, ensuring its comprehensive coverage of critical topics. Steve Alder is considered an authority in the healthcare industry on HIPAA. The HIPAA Journal has evolved into the leading independent authority on HIPAA under Steve’s editorial leadership. Steve manages a team of writers and is responsible for the factual and legal accuracy of all content published on The HIPAA Journal. Steve holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Liverpool. You can connect with Steve via LinkedIn or email via stevealder(at)hipaajournal.com

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