St. Luke's Health System Experiences Data Breach

The data breach was the result of sending certain letters to an incorrect mailing address.

By HFT Staff


On March 6, 2023, St. Luke’s Health System discovered a technical error that resulted in certain letters mailed on Feb. 17 and Feb. 24 to be inadvertently sent to the incorrect mailing address. St. Luke’s immediately began investigating the cause of this error and implementing safeguards to prevent future occurrences. This error has been corrected, and there is no indication at this time to suggest that there has been any attempt to misuse patient information. Individuals who received another individual’s letter because of this error are asked to please destroy the letter.    

These letters included the guarantor’s name, guarantor number, patient’s name, date of service, encounter-specific account number, outstanding balance and balance status.   

Upon learning of this issue, St. Luke’s immediately began investigating the cause of this error. They have addressed the cause of this error and have implemented additional safeguards to prevent this error from happening in the future. In addition, impacted individuals’ accounts have been reset to provide additional time to resolve their balances. Their accounts are not in collections, and they are not accountable for the balances in the incorrect letter.   

In addition, St. Luke’s is offering identity theft protection services through IDX, the data breach and recovery services expert. IDX identity protection services include: 12 months of credit and CyberScan monitoring, a $1 million insurance reimbursement policy, and fully managed identity theft recovery services. With this protection, IDX will help resolve issues if an identity is compromised. 



April 17, 2023


Topic Area: Security


Recent Posts

Must Know Recalls of 2025

For the safety of our readers, Healthcare Facilities Today has closely followed all recall notices related to the industry.


Sustainability as a Baseline in Healthcare Facilities

Hospitals can balance costs, build resilience and learn from global models for sustainable design to further their green goals.


Comanche County Memorial Hospital and Southwestern Medical Center Join to Form Partnership

The partnership will go into effect by the end of December 2025.


Choosing a Disinfectant That Kills Biofilm

Bacteria form biofilms in pipes from which cells can be released during sink use and spread outside the drains in droplets or as aerosols.


Third-Party Data Breach Case Underscores Need for Cyber Risk Management

Plaintiffs alleged negligence in safeguarding patient data; defendants denied wrongdoing but settled to avoid litigation costs.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.