HHS OCR report ยท 2019
Ascension Borgess Hospital data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Ascension Borgess Hospital
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Michigan
- Individuals affected
- 996
- Submission date
- Nov 14, 2019
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
Ascension Borgess Hospital, the covered entity (CE), reported that an employee emailed 996 individuals without using the blind copy function. The protected health information (PHI) was limited to email addresses only. The CE notified HHS, affected individuals, and the media. The CE retrained the responsible employee on the importance of patient privacy and provided HIPAA Privacy Rule training to all staff members. OCR obtained documentation that the CE implemented the corrective actions no...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Ascension Borgess Hospital data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 996 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Nov 14, 2019.
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 Ascension Borgess 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 Ascension Borgess Hospital.