On December 22, 2023, the Retina Group of Washington (“RGW”) filed a notice of data breach with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights after discovering that the company had been the target of a cyberattack. In this notice, RGW explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, medical record numbers, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and demographic information as well as their health, payment, and insurance information. Upon completing its investigation, RGW began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from the Retina Group of Washington, 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 Retina Group of Washington data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Retina Group of Washington Data Breach?

The Retina Group of Washington data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, RGW’s filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on March 26, 2023, RGW started to have difficulty accessing some of the information on its computer system. In response, RGW secured its systems, reported the incident to the FBI, and then began working with third-party data security specialists to assist with its investigation.

The RGW investigation is ongoing; however, the company confirmed that an unauthorized party accessed and acquired patients’ confidential information.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Retina Group of Washington 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, Social Security number, driver’s license number, medical record number, address, telephone number, email address, date of birth, and demographic information as well as health, payment, and insurance information.

On December 22, 2023, the Retina Group of Washington 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 Retina Group of Washington

Retina Group of Washington is a healthcare provider based out of Washington, D.C. RGW operates 17 locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, providing patients with a range of retinal and macular care services. Retina Group of Washington employs more than 126 people and generates approximately $10 million in annual revenue.