Dalhart, Texas-based Dallam Hartley Counties Hospital District said a hacker stole the data of nearly 70,000 of its patients.
The health system said it detected the cybersecurity incident Sept. 28, discovering that the unauthorized party had gained access to its network the day before and taken a subset of files. The data included patient names, Social Security numbers, health insurance information and limited medical information. The organization said its EHR was not accessed.
The breach affected the data of 69,835 people, according to the HHS Office of Civil Rights breach report. The hospital district started mailing letters to affected patients on Nov. 23 and is operating a toll-free hotline to answer questions, offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services, and working to enhance its cybersecurity.
Dallam Hartley Counties Hospital District includes the 25-bed Coon Memorial Hospital in Dalhart.