OSF HealthCare hit by data breach

OSF HealthCare System is informing patients they may have been affected by a security breach.

The Peoria-based parent of Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park said patients’ Social Security numbers, financial accounts and credit card information were not accessed, as well as OSF’s medical systems or electronic health records, according to a hospital release.

The breach at software company Blackbaud, which happened between Feb. 7 and May 20, exposed patient information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, birthdays, treatment facilities and treating physicians.

OSF HealthCare’s operations include 14 hospitals and 30 urgent care centers in Illinois and Michigan. OSF spokesperson Shelli Dankoff said in an email they will not be disclosing how many people have been affected by the breach.

“OSF is assessing the security safeguards at Blackbaud and evaluating the data elements stored on the Blackbaud systems,” OSF said in a news release.

Blackbaud provides software to hospital networks’ fundraising activities. Dankoff said OSF is currently evaluating its relationship with Blackbaud.

In September, NorthShore University Health System began informing nearly 350,000 people it was affected by the Blackbaud security breach. Northwestern Memorial HealthCare was also part of the breach.

OSF encourages patients to monitor statements and call their health care providers about any services listed that were not performed.