HHS OCR report · 2015
South Sunflower County Hospital data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- South Sunflower County Hospital
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Mississippi
- Individuals affected
- 19,000
- Submission date
- Feb 4, 2015
- Type of breach
- Improper Disposal
- Location of breached information
- Paper/Films
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
A local merchant sent a package with shredded documents containing protected health information (PHI) from the covered entity (CE), South Sunflower County Hospital, used as packing material. The PHI included the dates of service, providers’ names, diagnoses, patients’ names, social security numbers, and dates of birth of 19,345 individuals. The CE retrieved the remaining shredded documents and stored them in a locked room with limited access. The CE provided breach notification to HHS, af...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the South Sunflower County Hospital data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 19,000 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Feb 4, 2015.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Improper Disposal, 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 South Sunflower County 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 South Sunflower County Hospital.