HHS OCR report ยท 2017
UW Health data breach
UW Health, a healthcare provider in Wisconsin, reported a breach affecting 2,036 individuals to HHS OCR on May 25, 2017.
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- UW Health
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Wisconsin
- Individuals affected
- 2,036
- Submission date
- May 25, 2017
- Type of breach
- Hacking/IT Incident
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
UW Health, the covered entity (CE), reported that an employee was the victim of an email phishing scheme that affected the electronic protected health information (ePHI) of 2,071 individuals. The ePHI involved included names, addresses, birthdates, diagnoses, lab results, medications prescribed, and other treatment information. The CE notified HHS, affected individuals, the media, and posted substitute notice on its website. In its mitigation efforts, the CE implemented additional technica...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the UW Health data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 2,036 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on May 25, 2017.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Hacking/IT Incident, 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 UW Health 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 UW Health.