HHS OCR report · 2014
Cook County Health & Hospitals System data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Cook County Health & Hospitals System
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Illinois
- Individuals affected
- 22,511
- Submission date
- Jan 11, 2014
- Type of breach
- Other
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The covered entity (CE), Cook County Health and Hospital Systems, reported that on November 12, 2013, as part of a public health project between the CE and another academic medical center, a physician at the CE sent an unencrypted email with an excel attachment to a collaborator outside the CE’s firewall. The attachment contained the protected health information (PHI) of 22,511 individuals. The attachment was not encrypted as required by organizational policy. The types of PHI involved in ...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Other reports by Cook County Health & Hospitals System
| Covered entity | State | Entity type | Individuals | Submitted | Type of breach | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County Health & Hospitals System | IL | Healthcare Provider | 727 | Oct 27, 2017 | Unauthorized Access/Disclosure | Archive (closed) |
| Cook County Health & Hospitals System | IL | Healthcare Provider | 556 | Dec 17, 2010 | Theft | Archive (closed) |
| Cook County Health & Hospitals System | IL | Healthcare Provider | 7,081 | Aug 20, 2010 | Theft | Archive (closed) |
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Cook County Health & Hospitals System data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 22,511 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Jan 11, 2014.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Other, with the breached information located in: Email.
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 Cook County Health & Hospitals System 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 Cook County Health & Hospitals System.