HHS OCR report ยท 2015
Massachusetts General Hospital data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Massachusetts
- Individuals affected
- 648
- Submission date
- Jul 8, 2015
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
An employee of the covered entity (CE), Massachusetts General Hospital, sent an unencrypted e-mail to the incorrect e-mail address. The e-mail contained the protected health information (PHI of 648 individuals. The types of PHI involved in the breach included names, dates of birth, medical record number sand social security numbers. Following the breach, the CE sanctioned the employee in question and changed its policy to use a secure storage application instead of e-mail to send PHI. OCR...
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 | 9,900 | Aug 22, 2019 | Hacking/IT Incident | Archive (closed) |
| 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) |
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Massachusetts General Hospital data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 648 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Jul 8, 2015.
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 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.