"Escalation in Healthcare Data Breaches"

The number of healthcare data breaches reported in the United States has increased for the third month in a row.  Records kept by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) indicate that the total number of reported data breaches impacting the US health sector in 2021 is likely to be higher than the total reported in any previous year.   In November, the OCR received reports of 68 data breaches in which 500 or more health records were exposed. This number was 15.25% higher than the 59 breaches reported in October.  The total number of data breaches of 500 or more records reported to the OCR from January 1 to November 30 is 614.  The worst month for data breaches in the healthcare sector so far this year has been June, in which 70 breaches of 500 or more records were reported.  While the number of individual data breaches has been increasing in recent months, the total number of records impacted by data breaches has diminished from October to November.  Geographical analysis of data breaches recorded in November reveals that more breaches (seven) were reported in California and New York than in any other states. Maryland and Pennsylvania each reported four breaches, while two breaches each were reported in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Infosecurity reports: "Escalation in Healthcare Data Breaches"