On September 3, 2024, Hospital Sisters Health System (“HSHS”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Texas after discovering that an unauthorized party was able to access certain files on its computer network. In this notice, Hospital Sisters explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, medical record numbers, and medical information. Upon completing its investigation, Hospital Sisters began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you receive a data breach notification from Hospital Sisters Health System, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Hospital Sisters Health System data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Hospital Sisters Health System Data Breach?

The Hospital Sisters Health System data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Hospital Sisters’ filing with the Attorney General of Texas provides some important information on what led up to the breach. HSHS also posted a website notice discussing the incident.

According to these sources, in August 2023, HSHS identified suspicious activity within its hospital and clinical operations, as well as most of the company’s communication systems. In response, HSHS contained the incident, reported it to law enforcement, and then launched an investigation with the help of third-party data security experts.

Through this investigation, HSHS confirmed that an unauthorized third party accessed certain files on its network between August 16, 2023 and August 27, 2023, including files containing confidential patient information.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Hospital Sisters Health System reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license number, medical record number, and medical information.

On September 3, 2024, Hospital Sisters Health System sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About Hospital Sisters Health System

Founded in 1875, Hospital Sisters Health System is a healthcare system located in Springfield, Illinois. HSHS is a multi-institutional healthcare system made up of 13 hospitals and a network of physicians across Illinois and Wisconsin. Hospital Sisters Health System employs more than 14,500 people and generates approximately $2.6 billion in annual revenue.