HHS OCR report · 2014
Clay County Hospital data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Clay County Hospital
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Illinois
- Individuals affected
- 12,621
- Submission date
- Dec 12, 2014
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Other
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
On November 2, 2014, the covered entity’s (CE) president received an anonymous email threatening to release the protected health information (PHI) of hospital clinic patients to the public unless he or she received a substantial payment from the CE. This threat could have affected patients who visited the hospital on or before February 2012, approximately 12,621 individuals. The CE determined that the CE’s servers were not hacked nor were its information systems compromised. OCR determined...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Clay County Hospital data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 12,621 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Dec 12, 2014.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, with the breached information located in: Other.
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 Clay County 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 Clay County Hospital.