HHS OCR report ยท 2021
Bethesda Hospital data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Bethesda Hospital
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Florida
- Individuals affected
- 18,477
- Submission date
- Jan 29, 2021
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Electronic Medical Record
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The covered entity (CE), Bethesda Hospital, reported that an employee impermissibly accessed the electronic protected health information (ePHI) of 18,477 individuals. The ePHI involved included names, dates of birth, addresses, health insurance information, clinical information, and Social Security numbers. The CE notified HHS, affected individuals, the media, and posted substitute notice on its website. In response to the breach, the CE sanctioned the responsible employee and retrained wo...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Bethesda Hospital data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 18,477 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Jan 29, 2021.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, with the breached information located in: Electronic Medical Record.
Is the investigation still open?
No. The report is in the OCR portal archive, which holds reports where OCR has closed its review.
Is a breach notice letter from Bethesda Hospital legitimate?
This site cannot verify letters. Check the sender against the organisation's official website and the HHS OCR breach portal, and avoid calling numbers or clicking links only listed in an unexpected message. See our guide on what to do after a data breach notice.
Source: HHS OCR Breach Portal, OCR export October 2026. Network USA is not affiliated with HHS or Bethesda Hospital.