HHS OCR report · 2014
Indian Health Service, Aberdeen Area Office data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Indian Health Service, Aberdeen Area Office
- Entity type
- Health Plan
- State
- South Dakota
- Individuals affected
- 1,632
- Submission date
- Nov 13, 2014
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The Indian Health Service (IHS) reported than an employee of its business associate (BA), was observed copying and pasting medical records and then sending those documents to his personal email account. The protected health information (PHI) involved included names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and other demographic information. This breach incident affected 1,720 patients and occurred between March 1, 2013 and August 25, 2014. Upon learning of the physician’s actions, IHS imme...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Indian Health Service, Aberdeen Area Office data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 1,632 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Nov 13, 2014.
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 Indian Health Service, Aberdeen Area Office 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 Indian Health Service, Aberdeen Area Office.