HHS OCR report ยท 2020
Lake County Health Department data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Lake County Health Department
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Illinois
- Individuals affected
- 14,488
- Submission date
- Feb 19, 2020
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The covered entity (CE), Lake County Health Department, reported that an employee sent an unencrypted email to his personal email account that contained the electronic protected health information (ePHI) of 14,488 individuals. The ePHI involved included names and other identifying information. The CE notified HHS, affected individuals, and the media. In its mitigation efforts, the CE sanctioned the responsible employee and implemented additional administrative, technical, and security safe...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Lake County Health Department data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 14,488 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Feb 19, 2020.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, 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 Lake County Health Department 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 Lake County Health Department.