HHS OCR report · 2018
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Pennsylvania
- Individuals affected
- 5,368
- Submission date
- Oct 23, 2018
- Type of breach
- Hacking/IT Incident
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
On August 23, 2019, as a result of a phishing email sent to 679 Outlook users, an unauthorized user accessed the email account of a physician and five Outlook users who were forwarding their work email to external email accounts. The physician's email account contained protected health information (PHI), including the demographic and clinical information of approximately 5,368 patients. In response to the breach, the covered entity (CE) opened a “major incident,” broadcast an emergency techno...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Other reports by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| Covered entity | State | Entity type | Individuals | Submitted | Type of breach | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | PA | Healthcare Provider | 943 | Nov 24, 2009 | Theft | Archive (closed) |
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 5,368 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Oct 23, 2018.
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 The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia 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 The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.