An unauthorized party had access to the network of Alma, Ga.-based Bacon County Hospital and Health System for 17 days before the organization detected the intrusion, according to a notice posted on its website.
The intruder gained access July 10, according to a forensic investigation. On or about July 27, the unauthorized party accessed and copied certain files, around the same time the organization first noticed unusual system activity.
Bacon County Hospital and Health System said in October it took immediate action to secure its network and that patient care was not disrupted. The organization said the event affected a limited segment of its internal network. It reported the incident to law enforcement and HHS.
The review of the affected files is ongoing, and the organization said it is too early to tell what specific information was involved or whose. It plans to mail notification letters to affected individuals once the review is complete. It said it is not aware of any identity fraud tied to the incident.
The organization reported the breach to the HHS Office for Civil Rights with an estimate of at least 501 affected individuals. That figure will be updated when the review concludes.
Bacon County Hospital and Health System operates the 25-bed Bacon County Hospital, the 88-bed Twin Oaks Convalescent Center and a primary care clinic in Alma.
