On April 10, 2024, NorthBay Health posted a website notice describing a recent cyberattack. In this notice, NorthBay Health explains that the incident prompted the company to take down certain systems as it conducted an investigation. The NorthBay Health investigation is ongoing; however, if the company determines that confidential patient information was subject to unauthorized access, NorthBay Health will be required to send 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 NorthBay Health, 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 a possible NorthBay Health data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
Was There a NorthBay Health Data Breach?
It is too soon to tell if there was a NorthBay Health data breach, as the cyberattack was only recently announced, and NorthBay Health is still in the process of conducting its investigation. However, NorthBay Health’s website notice provides some important information on what led up to the breach.
On April 2, 2024, NorthBay Health explained that “NorthBay Health is experiencing some temporary disruptions to certain IT systems as a result of a cybersecurity incident.” In response, NorthBay Health began working with external cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident. Part of this investigation was to determine what, if any, patient data may have been exposed to unauthorized access. However, NorthBay Health was also working to bring its systems back online.
NorthBay Health is still investigating. However, some patients reported being turned away due to the necessary systems not yet being up and running. However, as of April 10, 2024, NorthBay Health indicated that primary and specialty care appointments and elective surgeries are being conducted as scheduled. NorthBay Health has not yet commented on whether any patient data was leaked; however, it is common for hackers to target healthcare providers due to the wealth of sensitive information these providers maintain.
While NorthBay Health’s investigation is still ongoing, if the company determines that patient data was leaked, it will be required under federal law to send 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 NorthBay Health
Founded in 1960, NorthBay Health is a healthcare services company based out of Fairfield, California. NorthBay Health operates NorthBay Health Medical Center in Fairfield and NorthBay Health VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville. The company also operates the Center for Primary Care, which has offices in Fairfield, Vacaville and Green Valley. NorthBay Health employs more than 1,184 people and generates approximately $415 million in annual revenue.
