Summit Medical Associates Provides Notice of a Data Breach

FORT WAYNE, Ind., Aug. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Summit Medical Associates ("Summit") provides notice of an incident that may affect the security of some information relating to certain patients affiliated with Summit.

What Happened?  On or about June 5, 2020, Summit discovered that it was unable to access certain data and records stored on its server. Summit immediately launched an investigation, with the assistance of third-party forensic computer experts, to determine the nature and scope of the incident.  It was determined that certain information was encrypted by ransomware. Summit's investigation determined there was potential unauthorized access to its server between January 24, 2020 and June 5, 2020. Summit then worked to identify its patients whose personal information may have been accessible to the unauthorized actor. That process concluded July 28, 2020.

What Information Was Involved?  Summit has no evidence the unauthorized actor actually accessed or acquired personal information. The information potentially contained on the server at issue may have included name, medical information, and Social Security number.

What Summit is Doing.  Summit takes this incident and the security of personal information seriously. Upon discovery Summit immediately took steps to ensure the security of its systems and investigate the activity. Summit worked diligently to investigate and respond to this incident and to identify and notify potentially affected individuals. Summit is also reviewing and enhancing existing policies and procedures and will be reporting this to relevant state and federal regulators, as required. Summit is notifying potentially impacted individuals so that they may take further steps to best protect their information, should they feel it is appropriate to do so. Summit will also notify the Department of Health and Human Services and other regulators of this incident as required. 

What You Can Do.  You can review the enclosed Steps You Can Take to Protect Your Personal Information. We also encourage you to review your financial and account statements and explanation of benefits forms and report all suspicious activity to the institution that issued the record immediately.

For More Information.  Summit has established a dedicated assistance line for individuals seeking additional information regarding this incident. Individuals may call 866-977-1033, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, EDT Monday through Friday for additional information.  Additional information can also be found on Summit's website, http://mysummitmedical.net/.  Potentially affected individuals may also consider the information and resources outlined below.

Summit encourages potentially impacted individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud and to review account statements, credit reports, and explanation of benefits forms for suspicious activity. Under U.S. law, individuals with credit reports are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Individuals may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of their credit report. The credit reporting agencies may be contacted as follows: 

You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps you can take to protect yourself, by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. 

The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-­653-4261. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should be reported to law enforcement, your Attorney General, and the FTC. You can also further educate yourself about placing a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit file by contacting the FTC or your state's Attorney General.

SOURCE Summit Medical Associates

Related Links

http://mysummitmedical.net