HHS OCR report · 2016
Morton Medical Center, PLLC data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Morton Medical Center, PLLC
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Washington
- Individuals affected
- 3,000
- Submission date
- Mar 24, 2016
- Type of breach
- Hacking/IT Incident
- Location of breached information
- Desktop Computer, Network Server
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
In March 2016, the covered entity (CE), Morton Medical Center, reported that a virus encrypted many of its merge documents and held them for ransom, preventing the CE from printing any documents that required merging data. An internal investigation revealed that the ransomware had been introduced into its systems through an “add-on” through the Internet. After paying the ransom, the hacker(s) released the CE's entire electronic protected health information (ePHI). The breach affected the ePHI...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Morton Medical Center, PLLC data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 3,000 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Mar 24, 2016.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Hacking/IT Incident, with the breached information located in: Desktop Computer, 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 Morton Medical Center, PLLC 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 Morton Medical Center, PLLC.