HHS OCR report · 2016
Northwest Community Healthcare data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Northwest Community Healthcare
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Illinois
- Individuals affected
- 540
- Submission date
- Oct 7, 2016
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Other Portable Electronic Device
- Business associate present
- Yes
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
On April 18, 2016, a business associate (BA) notified the covered entity, Northwest Community Healthcare, that it left a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) port open and unsecured, which led to the exposure of patients' protected health information (PHI) on the internet. Approximately 540 individuals were affected by the breach which included patients’ names, addresses, dates of birth, and social security numbers. The CE suspended its relationship with the BA and required it to destroy all of the ...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Northwest Community Healthcare data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 540 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Oct 7, 2016.
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 Portable Electronic Device.
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 Northwest Community Healthcare 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 Northwest Community Healthcare.