Proliance Surgeons Data Breach

NOTICE: If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH letter from Proliance Surgeons contact the Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 to discuss your legal options, or submit a confidential Case Evaluation form here.

On November 21, 2023, Proliance Surgeons (“Proliance”) sent a Notice of Data Breach Letter (“Breach Letter”) via mail to potential victims of the Proliance’s data breach. The Breach Letter informed affected individuals that their sensitive personal information, Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”), and Protected Health Information (“PHI”) may have been accessed and acquired by hackers on or around February 11, 2023.

On or about February 11, 2023 Proliance experienced a cyberattack that included the encryption of certain files on their network (the “Data Breach”). Following a forensic investigation by third-party cybersecurity professionals Proliance determined, on May 24, 2023 that files which contained PII and PHI were accessed by an unauthorized party during this breach. By September 22, 2023 Proliance had determined the individuals whose information was involved in the Data Breach, yet they waited until November 20, 2023, two full months later, to notify the victims. As a result of the Data Breach hackers obtained from Prolinace the victims’ names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, financial account information, medical information, diagnosis and treatment information, health insurance information, driver’s license information, phone numbers, email addresses, and usernames and passwords.

Established in 1973, Proliance Surgeons is a healthcare practice headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The organization specializes in various medical specialties, including orthopedics, otolaryngology, general surgery, ophthalmology, and neurosurgery. With a team of over 400 healthcare providers, including more than 180 board-certified physicians, Proliance Surgeons operates an extensive network of over 100 healthcare facilities across Washington. They annually provide care to a substantial patient population, serving more than 800,000 individuals. Proliance Surgeons is also a significant employer, with a workforce comprising over 2,797 employees, and it generates approximately $410 million in revenue each year.

The exact number of affected individuals has not yet been determined. However, it is highly likely that a substantial number, potentially in the hundreds of thousands, may have had their information exposed. If you have received a Breach Letter from the Proliance Data Breach, it indicates that you were indeed affected by the data breach.

WHAT INFORMATION IS INVOLVED?

The compromised information potentially included the following:

• Names
• Social Security Numbers
• Date of birth
• Financial account information
• Medical information
• Diagnosis and treatment information
• Health insurance information
• Driver’s license information
• Phone numbers
• Email addresses
• Usernames and passwords

This information is referred to as your Personally Identifiable Information (“PII”). It provides others with details about you and is a fundamental part of your identity. Businesses are mandated to secure this information, or they risk facing statutory penalties and other legal consequences. Stolen PII can be exploited by identity thieves for fraudulent activities using your identity.

Personal medical information, which constitutes a specific type of PII, is known as Protected Health Information (“PHI”). Both state and federal laws provide protection for it. Healthcare providers and other entities that handle PHI are obligated to safeguard this information. Similar to stolen PII, stolen PHI can be utilized by identity thieves for fraudulent activities using your identity. Frequently, hackers use PII and PHI in tandem.

The most effective way to safeguard yourself after a data breach is to promptly enroll in credit and identity protection services.

NOTICE: If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH letter from Proliance Surgeons, contact the Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 to discuss your legal options, or submit a confidential Case Evaluation form here.