Sidney Health Center Addresses Patient Privacy Incident Involving Former Physician

Sidney Health Center (“SHC”) is notifying patients of a privacy incident involving a former physician who mishandled patient information.

On Oct. 28, 2024, SHC received a report from an employee raising concerns that a physician may have been saving patient information to their personal Google account. SHC promptly initiated an internal investigation using its privacy monitoring tools. On Nov. 7, 2024, SHC confirmed that the physician had indeed saved patient information to a personal Google account. SHC continued its investigation, including interviewing the physician and requesting the destruction or return of all documents containing SHC patient information. Unfortunately, SHC’s efforts did not receive the necessary cooperation.

SHC’s review of the documents saved by the physician revealed that certain files contained patient information. This information included names, dates of birth, medical record numbers, medical history, and/or treatment details, such as dates of service, provider names, diagnoses, and medications. Importantly, the documents did not contain Social Security numbers, health insurance ID numbers, or financial information.

In accordance with federal health information privacy laws, SHC began mailing notification letters to affected patients on Jan. 3, 2025. These letters remind patients to carefully review all communications from healthcare providers, including electronic messages and billing statements, to ensure consistency with their records and expectations.

SHC deeply regrets any concern or inconvenience this incident may cause. Protecting the confidentiality and security of patient information remains SHC’s highest priority. To help prevent further unauthorized handling of patient information, SHC immediately suspended the physician’s access to patient information unless accompanied by a supervisor during the investigation. The physician no longer works for SHC, and SHC has reported their conduct to the appropriate authorities.

To prevent future incidents, SHC is implementing additional safeguards, including enhanced privacy training, and additional access and system monitoring controls.

Patients with questions about this incident can contact SHC’s dedicated helpline at 1-833-468-1010, Monday through Friday, between 6 a.m.-3 p.m. MT.