Personal particulars of 1.2 million sufferers throughout the Cook County Health and Hospital System had been uncovered in an information breach earlier this yr, the well being company mentioned on Friday.

Perry Johnson and Associates Inc., a 3rd celebration supplier of medical transcription providers, knowledgeable Cook County Health in July that it had skilled a “data security incident,” and an investigation was underway, in line with the company.

The investigation revealed that an unauthorized particular person accessed the corporate’s methods the place affected person information was saved in April 2023. After studying sufferers’ info had been compromised, Cook County Health mentioned it stopped sharing information with the corporate and terminated its relationship.

PJ&A acknowledged the next information of 1.2 million sufferers had been amongst these affected: dates of delivery, addresses, medical report numbers, encounter numbers, medical info, and dates/occasions of service.

Of the compromised information, roughly 2,600 might have included Social Security numbers, the well being company mentioned.

Impacted sufferers are anticipated to be notified by mail beginning subsequent week, with a letter explaining extra details about the incident and what steps they will take to guard their information. Those affected may also obtain info on the right way to monitor their credit score experiences and place freezes on the experiences if wanted, in line with Cook County Health.

Those whose Social Security numbers might have been accessed will be capable to enroll in credit score monitoring and id safety providers without charge. Cook County Health mentioned whereas it has no proof that any private info has been misused, it urges sufferers to observe medical payments for any suspicious exercise.