Novant Well being Notifies Sufferers of Potential Knowledge Privateness Incident

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Aug. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Novant Well being shared that, in an effort to be as clear as attainable, it’s mailing letters to a few of its sufferers following attainable disclosure of protected well being info (PHI) ensuing from an incorrect configuration of a pixel, an internet monitoring software.

In Might 2020, as our nation confronted the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Novant Well being launched a promotional marketing campaign to attach extra sufferers to the Novant Well being MyChart affected person portal, with the aim of enhancing entry to care via digital visits and supply elevated accessibility to counter the restrictions of in-person care. This marketing campaign concerned Fb ads and a Meta (Fb mum or dad firm) monitoring pixel positioned on the Novant Well being web site to assist perceive the success of these efforts on Fb. A pixel is a bit of code that organizations generally use to measure exercise and experiences on their web site. On this case, the pixel was configured incorrectly and should have allowed sure personal info to be transmitted to Meta from the Novant Well being web site and MyChart portal.

Instantly upon turning into conscious that the pixel had the aptitude to transmit unintended info to Meta, Novant Well being disabled and eliminated the pixel as a precaution and started an investigation to be taught whether or not, and to what extent, info was transmitted. Primarily based on that investigation, Novant Well being decided on June 17, 2022, that it was attainable delicate info or PHI may need been disclosed to Meta, relying upon a person’s exercise throughout the Novant Well being web site and MyChart portal. This info doubtlessly included an impacted affected person’s: demographic info corresponding to e-mail deal with, telephone quantity, laptop IP deal with, and phone info entered into Emergency Contacts or Superior Care Planning; and knowledge corresponding to appointment sort and date, doctor chosen, button/menu picks, and/or content material typed into free textual content containers. The data didn’t embrace Social Safety numbers or different monetary info until it was typed right into a free textual content field by the person. The letter despatched to every affected person will particularly state whether or not such monetary info could have been concerned.

Primarily based on its investigation, Novant Well being is unaware of any improper use or tried use of any affected person info by Meta or another third celebration. In keeping with Fb’s Phrases and Situations, they’ve insurance policies and filters that block delicate private knowledge and don’t incorporate that info into their Advert Supervisor. Nevertheless, to be secure and clear, Novant Well being is sending letters to all doubtlessly impacted sufferers, together with some who’re sufferers of impartial physicians and services who use the Novant Well being MyChart medical report. Novant Well being has additionally applied extra construction, governance and insurance policies round using pixels and is taking actions to make sure this doesn’t occur once more.

New Hanover Regional Medical Heart sufferers should not impacted by this incident.

Along with the assets shared, sufferers could name Novant Well being at 704-561-6950 or go to www.novanthealth.org/pixel. Moreover, sufferers might also go to https://consumer.ftc.gov/online-security to be taught extra about finest practices to guard their info on-line.

Novant Well being takes privateness and the care of non-public info very significantly and values affected person belief to maintain sufferers’ medical info personal. Novant Well being will proceed to be as clear as attainable and supply info to sufferers.

About Novant Well being

Novant Well being is an built-in community of hospitals, doctor clinics and outpatient services that delivers a seamless and handy healthcare expertise to communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The Novant Well being community consists of greater than 1,800 physicians and over 35,000 staff members who present care at greater than 800 places, together with 15 hospitals and lots of of outpatient services and doctor clinics. In 2021, Novant Well being supplied greater than $1.1 billion in community benefit, together with monetary help and companies. 

For extra info, please go to our web site at NovantHealth.org. You may as well comply with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.  

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SOURCE Novant Well being