TROY (WWJ) - The personal information of nearly 1,200 Beaumont patients could be in jeopardy.
Beaumont Health System has wrapped up an investigation after discovering a former employee obtained unauthorized access to patient information.
Officials say the employee was able to get a hold of the personal information of 1,182 patients between February of 2017 and October of 2019. This included names, addresses, email addresses, personal health information, insurance information and social security numbers.
The employee, who was terminated after officials discovered the breach in December, is suspected of disclosing the information to an individual working on behalf of a personal injury attorney.
The incident does not affect all Beaumont patients. It's unclear which facilities affected patients may have attended.
Anyone who was treated at the Beaumont Health System within the timeframe is urged to monitor their financial accounts and remain vigilant. It's also recommended that affected individuals review the explanation of benefits statements that they receive from their health insurance providers and follow up on any items not recognized.
Criminal charges against the employee may be pursued. Beaumont says it has also taken steps to improve internal procedures to minimize the risk of a similar incident in the future.
Anyone who thinks they may have been impacted by this incident, is urged to call 866-977-0774.