HHS OCR report ยท 2017
Morehead Memorial Hospital data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Morehead Memorial Hospital
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- North Carolina
- Individuals affected
- 66,000
- Submission date
- Sep 15, 2017
- Type of breach
- Hacking/IT Incident
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
In late June 2017, employees at Morehead Memorial Hospital, the covered entity (CE), began reporting suspicious phishing emails to the information technology department. Through its contracted forensic investigator, Navigant Consulting, the CE found that two employee email accounts were compromised and protected health information (PHI) for about 66,000 individuals was exposed. The exposed PHI included treatment information, payment information, names, business reports, diagnostic informat...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Morehead Memorial Hospital data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 66,000 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Sep 15, 2017.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Hacking/IT Incident, 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 Morehead Memorial 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 Morehead Memorial Hospital.