Approximately 19,000 patients and 3,000 volunteers may have been affected in a data breach at six Prisma Health-Midlands hospitals, according to The State.
A spokesperson for the Columbia, S.C.-based health system said an employee's login credentials were compromised. Prisma Health discovered patient information from six hospitals were affected in August. Upon further investigation, Prisma Health determined that the compromised login credentials provided unauthorized access to patient pre-registration and volunteer registration information forms that had been completed.
No patient medical records were compromised. Prisma Health does not know how long the information was accessible online; however, the health system has secured the website and reset the employee's login credentials.
Patient information that may have been exposed included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and limited health and insurance information.
"Prisma Health values the confidentiality of patient information and has taken specific steps to prevent this situation from happening again," the health system told The State. "Prisma Health is continuing to take steps to enhance its security measures and update its policies and procedures to help prevent something like this from happening in the future."