HHS OCR report ยท 2019
Massachusetts General Hospital data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Massachusetts
- Individuals affected
- 9,900
- Submission date
- Aug 22, 2019
- Type of breach
- Hacking/IT Incident
- Location of breached information
- Network Server
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The covered entity (CE), Massachusetts General Hospital, reported that it was the victim of a ransomware attack that affected the electronic protected health information (ePHI) of 9,900 individuals. The ePHI involved included names, marital status, sex, race/ethnicity, birthdates, clinical information, and treatment information. In its mitigation efforts, the CE implemented additional administrative and technical safeguards and retrained its staff. The CE notified HHS and affected individ...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Other reports by Massachusetts General Hospital
| Covered entity | State | Entity type | Individuals | Submitted | Type of breach | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts General Hospital | MA | Healthcare Provider | 588 | Dec 14, 2018 | Unauthorized Access/Disclosure | Archive (closed) |
| Massachusetts General Hospital | MA | Healthcare Provider | 4,293 | Jun 29, 2016 | Hacking/IT Incident | Archive (closed) |
| Massachusetts General Hospital | MA | Healthcare Provider | 648 | Jul 8, 2015 | Unauthorized Access/Disclosure | Archive (closed) |
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Massachusetts General Hospital data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 9,900 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Aug 22, 2019.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Hacking/IT Incident, with the breached information located in: Network Server.
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 Massachusetts General 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 Massachusetts General Hospital.