Notice of Data Incident

What Happened

NewYork-Presbyterian (“NYP”) and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (“CUIMC”) were recently notified that a folder containing a file with personal information related to certain patients was inadvertently made available on a third-party Internet-accessible platform by a workforce member at NYP/CUIMC. The file was promptly secured and subsequently deleted from the platform, and an investigation was initiated. The workforce member inadvertently transferred the file containing patient lab data to that platform in or around August 2023 while performing certain quality-related data review activities. On March 8, 2024, we identified evidence that the folder containing the file may have been accessed or copied by unknown third parties between at least September 11, 2023, and March 7, 2024.

What Information Was Involved

The information contained in the file included: first name, last name, medical record number, date of birth, provider name, and a single laboratory test result that would not reveal any diagnostic information about patients. No financial information, Social Security numbers, email addresses, or phone numbers were contained in the file. Individuals identified as impacted have already received notice where a valid mailing address was available.

What You Can Do

As general good practice, it is recommended that impacted patients regularly monitor statements from their health plans for irregularities. If impacted patients notice any health care services that they did not receive listed on a statement, they are advised to contact their health plan.

What We Are Doing

We take our responsibility to safeguard patient personal information seriously and remain committed to protecting patient privacy and security. We are evaluating further security enhancements and continue to educate the workforce regarding the handling of patient information to help prevent similar incidents.

For More Information

Individuals with questions about this incident should call the dedicated assistance line established for this incident at 1-866-528-5216, available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding major U.S. holidays.