The personal information of current and former hospice patients may have been exposed in a cyberattack targeting VITAS Healthcare, one of the largest hospice companies in the United States.
VITAS discovered on Oct. 24 that an unauthorized party had gained access to certain network systems through a compromised vendor account, according to a company statement about the data breach.
Subsequently, the company initiated an internal investigation and consulted cybersecurity experts. The investigation revealed that personal information related to some current and former patients was downloaded sometime between Sept. 21 and Oct 27, according to the statement.
“Patients and families trust VITAS to care for them during life’s most vulnerable moments. That trust includes protecting their personal information,” said Patrick Hale, executive vice president and chief information officer, in a statement sent to NJ Advance Media.
“We take this responsibility seriously and are acting swiftly to ensure transparency, accountability, and enhanced security moving forward. Our top priority remains the patients and families we are privileged to serve. We will do everything within our power to ensure their care, comfort, and peace of mind will continue,” Hale said.
The health care company is working with a cybersecurity firm to strengthen its oversight and has also reported the incident to law enforcement.
There’s no evidence that any of the personal information stolen during the incident has been misused. However, VITAS is providing two years of complimentary credit reporting and identity protection services.
Patients affected by the data breach will receive notification letters with instructions on how to enroll in the credit monitoring services, according to a company statement.
If individuals have a family member who was affected and is now deceased, they can place a deceased alert at one of the three major credit bureaus to help prevent misuse of their family member’s personal information.
Anyone with questions about the incident can contact dedicated call center agents at 855-403-1586, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Eastern time, excluding U.S. holidays.
VITAS, which provides end-of-life care, is headquartered in Miramar, Florida. The company operates in 15 states, including New Jersey, and employs more than 10,000 people, according to its website.
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