Unsecure email causes N.C. breach

A North Carolina organization has notified 1,310 patients that protected health information was in an unsecured email sent to a trusted outside source.

CaroMont Health in Gastonia discovered the unsecure email through a routine security audit in August. the organization said in a statement that there is no reason to believe the email was intercepted or received by anyone other than the intended recipient. However, the policy to encrypt emails was not followed and the organization is retraining staff.

Compromised information includes patient name, date of birth, address, telephone number, medical record number, diagnosis, medications, insurer and last date of service. Information for two patients also included their Medicare number.