On November 23, 2023, UT Health East Texas (“UTHET”) confirmed that the organization experienced a “potential security incident.” As a result, UT Health East Texas diverted patients to other facilities while it brought its systems back online. While UT Health East Texas hasn’t confirmed a data breach at this point, it remains a possibility until the company’s investigation confirms otherwise. If UT Health East Texas determines that confidential patient information was leaked, it will begin 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 UT Health East Texas, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. While UT Health East Texas has not yet confirmed that patient data was leaked, it is never too early to take precautionary measures to protect your sensitive information. 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 UTHET data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
Was There a UT Health East Texas?
While UT Health East Texas has acknowledged that it’s dealing with a “potential security incident,” the organization hasn’t yet announced a data breach. However, the incident was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future.
For now, a local news report provides a summary of the UTHET security incident and what the company is doing in response. According to this source, on November 23, 2023, UT Health East Texas became aware of a network outage that the company characterized as a “potential security incident.”
As a result, UT Health East Texas began diverting patients to other area hospitals as it worked to bring its systems online. A spokesperson for UTHET initially suggested that all facilities would resume operations within 24-36 hours. On Monday, November 27, 2023 at around 12 p.m., UT Health East Texas stopped diverting patients.
Certainly, it’s too early to determine if the potential security incident resulted in leaked patient data. However, in the absence of confirmation to the contrary, the possibility of a UT Health East Texas data breach cannot be taken off the table.
Now that operations have resumed, UT Health East Texas is most likely assessing the impact of the security incident. If the UTHET investigation confirms that confidential patient or employee data was leaked, the company will be required to send a data breach letter explaining the incident and the leaked data types to all affected parties.
More Information About UT Health East Texas
UT Health East Texas is a not-for-profit health system based in Tyler, Texas. The company operates ten hospitals, 50 clinics, 13 rehabilitation centers, and six Olympic fitness centers throughout the area. UTHET also operates the only accredited ambulance service in East Texas. UT Health East Texas employs more than 5,700 people and generates approximately $880 million in annual revenue.
