Massachusetts' Spectrum Health Services Reports Data Breach

A non-portable computer hard drive containing patients' personal and protected health information was stolen from Worcester, Mass.-based Spectrum Health Services on Aug. 24, according to a Spectrum news release.

The hard drive could contain information of patients who received services at Spectrum inpatient and outpatient programs in Westborough, Worcester, Milford, Framingham, Southbridge, Fitchburg and Weymouth between 2002 and March 2011. The information included names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, diagnostic codes and medical insurance numbers. The hard drive was double-password-protected but not encrypted.

A desktop computer and laptop computer not containing personal information were also stolen.

Spectrum has notified patients that they can place a security freeze and fraud alert on their credit reports. It also provided a link to the Federal Trade Commission's guidelines on protecting against identity theft.

Related Articles on Data Breaches:

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Data Breach at Delaware Nemours Facility Affects 1.6M Patients, Employees

Hundreds of Medical Records Found Dumped Behind Vacant Building


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