Six California Hospitals Fined for Data Breaches

The California Department of Public Health has penalized six California hospitals and a nursing home with fines totaling more than $792,000 after determining the healthcare facilities failed to prevent unauthorized access to confidential patient medical information, according to a CDPH news release.

The following health facilities received penalties:

•    Biggs Gridley (Calif.) Memorial Hospital — $5,000 fine involving unauthorized access of one patient's medical information by two employees on three separate occasions.
•    Children's Hospital of Orange in Orange County, Calif. — $25,000 involving unauthorized access of one patient's medical information by one employee.
•    Delano (Calif.) Regional Medical Center — $60,000 fine involving unauthorized access and disclosure of one patient's medical information by one employee on three separate occasions.
•    Kaweah Manor Convalescent Hospital in Visalia, Calif. — $125,000 fine involving unauthorized access and use of five patients' medical information by one employee.
•    Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, Calif. — $60,000 fine involving unauthorized access and disclosure of one patient's medical information by two employees on three occasions.
•    Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, Calif. — $250,000 fine involving the theft of 596 patients' medical information.
•    Oroville (Calif.) Hospital — $42,500 fine involving unauthorized disclosure one patient's medical information by one employee on two occasions.
•    Pacific Hospital of Long Beach (Calif.) — $225,000 fine involving unauthorized access and use of nine patients' medical information by one employee.

The facilities are required to submit a plan of correction to CDPH within 10 working days and implement a plan of correction to prevent future incidents.

Read the CDPH news release about the data breaches in California.

Read other coverage about data breaches:

- Florida Insurer AvMed Health Plans Sued for Data Breach Affecting 1.2M Patients

- Data Breaches Cost U.S. Hospitals $6B Annually

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