HHS OCR report ยท 2010
Pioneer Valley Pathology data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Pioneer Valley Pathology
- Entity type
- Business Associate
- State
- Massachusetts
- Individuals affected
- 24,750
- Submission date
- Aug 25, 2010
- Type of breach
- Theft
- Location of breached information
- Paper/Films
- Business associate present
- Yes
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
A Boston Globe employee discovered the unsecured paper medical records of Pioneer Valley Pathology, a group practice with offices inside Holyoke Medical Center (HMC), at a trash transfer station. The breach affected approximately 24,750 individuals. The PHI involved in the breach included names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, insurance information, and medical information. HMC is not the covered entity (CE) responsible for this breach and it field the breach report in ...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Pioneer Valley Pathology data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 24,750 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Aug 25, 2010.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Theft, with the breached information located in: Paper/Films.
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 Pioneer Valley Pathology 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 Pioneer Valley Pathology.