HHS OCR report · 2018
Decatur County General Hospital data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Decatur County General Hospital
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Tennessee
- Individuals affected
- 24,000
- Submission date
- Jan 26, 2018
- Type of breach
- Hacking/IT Incident
- Location of breached information
- Network Server
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
Decatur County General Hospital, the covered entity (CE), reported that unauthorized software was installed on its server used to store and access patient data. This breach affected 50,496 individuals and the types of PHI involved included names, dates of birth, addresses, Social Security numbers, drivers’ license numbers, diagnoses/conditions, lab results, medications, and other treatment information. The CE provided breach notification to affected individuals, the media, and HHS. The CE al...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Decatur County General Hospital data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 24,000 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Jan 26, 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: Network Server.
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 Decatur County General 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 Decatur County General Hospital.