HHS OCR report ยท 2015
Wellmont Health System data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Wellmont Health System
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Tennessee
- Individuals affected
- 1,726
- Submission date
- Apr 24, 2015
- Type of breach
- Improper Disposal
- Location of breached information
- Other, Paper/Films
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
On March 1, 2015, the covered entity (CE), Wellmont Health System, discovered that one of its employees had disposed of hand-written notes containing protected information (PHI) for 1,726 individuals at a local recycling center. The types of PHI involved in the breach included demographic and clinical information. The employee voluntarily resigned from her position. The CE provided breach notification to HHS, to affected individuals, to the media, and on its website. In response to the b...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Wellmont Health System data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 1,726 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Apr 24, 2015.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Improper Disposal, with the breached information located in: Other, 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 Wellmont Health System 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 Wellmont Health System.