Everett, WA – November 6, 2023
Western Washington Medical Group (“WWMG”) notified certain current and former patients that their personal information may have been accessed as part of cybersecurity incident. WWMG takes the privacy and security of information in its possession very seriously and sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience this incident may cause. This notice is intended to alert potentially impacted individuals of the incident, steps we are taking in response, and resources available to assist and protect individuals.
What Happened
On August 26, 2023, WWMG experienced a network security incident that involved an unauthorized party gaining access to our network environment. Upon detecting the incident, we immediately shut off all access to the network and engaged a specialized third-party forensic incident response firm to assist with securing the network environment and investigating the extent of unauthorized activity. WWMG’s network has been secured. WWMG is providing written notice to all impacted individuals. WWMG has no reason to believe that any individual’s information has been misused as a result of this event. As of this writing, WWMG has not received any reports of misuse of information and/or related identity theft since the date the incident was discovered (August 26, 2023 to present).
What Information Was Involved
Again, we found no evidence that patient information has been specifically misused. However, the following information was potentially exposed to an unauthorized third party: first and last name, address, Social Security number, date of birth, medical record number, health insurance policy number, and information about your medical history, mental or physical condition, or medical diagnosis or treatment. Notably, the types of information affected were different for each individual, and not every individual had all the above listed types of information exposed.
What We Are Doing
Data security is one of our highest priorities. Upon detecting this incident we moved quickly to initiate a response, which included conducting an investigation with the assistance of IT specialists and confirming the security of our network environment. We have also reviewed and enhanced our technical safeguards to prevent a similar incident.
The notification letter to the potentially impacted individuals includes steps that they can take to protect their information. In order to address any concerns and mitigate any exposure or risk of harm following this incident, WWMG has arranged for complimentary credit monitoring services and identity theft protection services to all potentially impacted individuals at no cost to them for a period of twelve months. WWMG recommends that individuals enroll in the services provided and follow the recommendations contained within the notification letter to ensure their information is protected.
For More Information
For individuals seeking more information or questions about this incident, please call 888-562-5033, Monday through Friday between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PT, excluding holidays.
Thank you for entrusting WWMG with your healthcare needs. We value the security of the personal data that we maintain, and understand the frustration, concern, and inconvenience that this incident may have caused. We look forward to continuing to provide high quality care to you, your family, and the greater Western Washington community.