HHS OCR report · 2018
Medical Center Ophthalmology Associates data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Medical Center Ophthalmology Associates
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Texas
- Individuals affected
- 3,017
- Submission date
- Apr 30, 2018
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
A workforce member of the covered Entity (CE), Medical Center Ophthalmology Associates, sent a mass email to patients, in lieu of using its patient portal, and accidentally disclosed the patients’ email addresses in the “Cc” field instead of the “Bcc” field. The protected health information involved included the email addresses of approximately 3,017 individuals. The CE provided breach notification to HHS, affected individuals, and the media. Following this breach, the CE sanctioned the invol...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Medical Center Ophthalmology Associates data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 3,017 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Apr 30, 2018.
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 Medical Center Ophthalmology Associates 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 Medical Center Ophthalmology Associates.