On September 26, 2023, Community First Medical Center (“CFMC”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after discovering that an unauthorized party accessed the company’s computer system. In this notice, CFMC explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names and Social Security numbers. Upon completing its investigation, CFMC began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from Community First Medical Center, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. As we’ve previously discussed in related posts, healthcare providers have an affirmative duty to protect patients’ sensitive information. In the event of a healthcare data breach, a provider may be financially liable to patients if the provider’s negligence caused or contributed to the breach. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft as well as discuss your legal options following the Community First Medical Center data breach.

What Caused the Community First Medical Center Breach?

The Community First Medical Center data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, CFMC’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, at some point in July 2023, CFMC learned of a data security incident involving an unauthorized party gaining access to its computer system. In response, CFMC contained the incident and then launched an investigation with the help of cybersecurity experts.

On July 28, 2023, the Community First Medical Center investigation confirmed that the unauthorized party who breached its systems was able to access certain files containing confidential patient information.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Community First Medical Center reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. CFMC completed this process on July 28, 2023. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name and Social Security number.

On September 26, 2023, Community First Medical Center sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About Community First Medical Center

Community First Medical Center is a hospital located in Chicago, Illinois. CFMC is a 299-bed hospital, which includes spine and orthopedic practices, a radiology center, an emergency department and an outpatient services center. Community First Medical Center also provides rehabilitation services, cardiology services, and pathology and laboratory services. Community First Medical Center employs more than 299 people and generates approximately $40 million in annual revenue.