Patients of Kalispell (Mont.) Regional Healthcare filed a second lawsuit Dec. 24 against the health system after their protected health information was affected in a data breach, according to the Missoulian.
In October, the health system began notifying 130,000 patients that their information may have been exposed due to a phishing attack. Fewer than 250 patients may have had their Social Security numbers affected.
Since the attack, patients have come forward claiming that their information has been misused. In the latest lawsuit, patients want to certify a class of all patients whose information was affected. In November, one of the 130,000 affected patients filed a lawsuit that alleged the health system did not take appropriate steps to protect patients' protected health information.
"KRH recently became aware of a lawsuit related to the data security event announced in October. We have not had the opportunity to thoroughly review the complaint and are not prepared to comment on its allegations," a spokesperson for Kalispell Regional Health told the Missoulian.