Recently, Palomar Health Medical Group (“PHMG”) posted a website notice discussing a recent cyberattack that may have resulted in a large-scale data breach of patient information. In this notice, PHMG explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party installing malware on its network, which required PHMG to shut down portions of its network as it launched an investigation. If PHMG’s investigation determines that patient data was leaked as a result of the cyberattack, the company 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 Palomar Health Medical Group, 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 Palomar Health data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

Was There a Palomar Health Data Breach?

Palomar Health only recently announced that it had fallen victim to a cyberattack, and the PHMG is still in the process of investigating the scope of the attack. Thus, it is too early to tell if there was a Palomar Health data breach. However, PHMG’s website notice provides some important information on what led up to the breach.

According to this source, on May 5, 2024, PHMG identified suspicious activity within its computer network. In response, PHMG took the affected systems offline and then launched an investigation to learn more about the nature and scope of the incident. This investigation is ongoing; however, as of the most recent update, PHMG’s phones, faxes, and portal are all not operational.

If Palomar Health determines that patient information was compromised as a result of the recent cyberattack, 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, if issued, should provide victims with a list of the information that was compromised.

Palomar Health has not confirmed a data breach because the company is still investigating whether any patient data was leaked. However, patients should not wait to protect themselves against the harms of a data breach.

More Information About Palomar Health Medical Group

Palomar Health Medical Group is a health system with a headquarters in Escondido, California. PHMG was created by the merger of Arch Health Medical Group and Graybill Medical Group and currently serves more than 186,000 patients through more than 200 primary and specialty care providers. PHMG operates over 20 locations in 12 cities and neighborhoods in northern San Diego County. Palomar Health employs more than 4,200 people and generates approximately $540 million in annual revenue.