INTEGRIS Health reports patient data breach

An Oklahoma health care system is reporting a data breach that may have compromised patients personal data.

Read the entire press release from INTEGRIS Health below:

ABOUT THE INCIDENT

INTEGRIS Health is making individuals aware of an incident that may affect the privacy of certain information. INTEGRIS Health is providing notice of the event so potentially affected individuals may take steps to better protect their information from misuse, should they feel it appropriate to do so.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What Happened?

INTEGRIS Health discovered potential unauthorized activity on certain systems. Upon becoming aware of the suspicious activity, INTEGRIS Health promptly took steps to secure the environment and commenced an investigation into the nature and scope of the activity. The investigation determined that certain files may have been accessed by an unauthorized party on November 28, 2023. INTEGRIS Health initiated a review of the potentially accessed data to determine the type of information and to whom it related, which is currently underway. On December 24, 2023, INTEGRIS Health learned that patients began receiving communications from a group claiming responsibility for the unauthorized access. We encourage anyone receiving such communications to NOT respond or contact the sender, or follow any of the instructions, including accessing any links. Instead, please see the steps in the What You Can Do section below.

What Information Was Involved?

The personal information potentially affected varies by individual. The types of personal information may include: name, date of birth, contact information, demographic information, and/or Social Security number.

What INTEGRIS Health is Doing.

The confidentiality, privacy, and security of information within its care are among INTEGRIS Health’s highest priorities. Upon learning of the event, INTEGRIS Health promptly took steps to investigate the full scope of the incident. In an abundance of caution, INTEGRIS Health is also notifying potentially affected individuals and providing information on steps that may be taken to best protect personal information.

What You Can Do.

INTEGRIS Health encourages individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing their account statements and explanation of benefits and monitoring their free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Individuals may also review and consider the information and resources outlined in the below “Steps Individuals Can Take to Protect Their Personal Information.”

For More Information?

If individuals have additional questions, please send an email to INTEGRIS Health at Integrisresponse@integrishealth.org

STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO PROTECT THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Monitor Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.

Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Additional Information

Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.