Breach exposes data of 200K health system staff, patients

TACOMA — A medical practice management firm that provides support to Tacoma-based MultiCare Health System has alerted over 200,000 patients, providers and staff that their personal information may have been exposed.

Woodcreek Provider Services announced Tuesday that after a ransomware attack of its tech vendor, the information was retrieved upon paying an undisclosed ransom, The News Tribune reported.

Woodcreek says an investigation by its vendor, Netgain Technology, determined the breach happened sometime between November 24 and December 3, 2020, although it’s possible that it happened as early as September.

“The server containing Woodcreek’s medical records system was untouched; however, scanned clinical and financial data and other business records on an archive server was stolen by the attackers,” the company said Tuesday.

The attack allowed access to personal information which for some includes Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other data.

On Feb. 17, counsel for Woodcreek notified the Washington state Attorney General’s Office that it would send notifications to more than 200,000 people whose information was potentially compromised.

In response to questions from The News Tribune on Tuesday about the breach, MultiCare noted the breach was isolated to Woodcreek’s server and said that Woodcreek manages “a small number of pediatric clinics in the Puget Sound region for Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and Health Network.”

The health system said that it “deeply regrets that this breach has occurred on a vendor platform of one of our affiliated providers.”