Tracking healthcare data breaches

Healthcare data breaches are increasing as digital services become more prevalent in storing sensitive patient information. Cyberattacks in healthcare surpass those in other industries, exploiting system vulnerabilities to access private medical data. Over the past five years, hacking incidents have surged, exposing 385 million patient records from 2010 to 2022, according to federal records.

Hospitals face ransom demands and operational disruptions, impacting patient care. Major chains like HCA Healthcare and CommonSpirit Health have been affected. Prospect Medical Holdings experienced prolonged computer system access issues due to an attack, leading to temporary suspension of patient services.

Healthcare entities must notify the HHS Office for Civil Rights of breaches affecting over 500 people within 60 days. Healthcare Dive developed a tracker for breaches affecting 352,447 or more records, sortable by breach type, size, and entity. The tracker updates as new breaches are reported and entries adjusted.