NSHA suffers privacy breach, nearly 3,000 patients possibly affected

The Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) is in the process of notifying nearly 3,000 people about a potential privacy breach involving personal health information, the organization announced on Monday.

The health authority says the breach was detected by its IT team after an employee’s email account was compromised due to a phishing attack — an email or message that appears to be legitimate but can allow someone to gain access to the individual’s email account.

The NSHA says 2,841 people and their next of kin are being notified.

“Everyone who was possibly affected will hear directly from NSHA, and we will be available to discuss the details of the possible breaches of confidentiality with them,” wrote the NSHA in a press release announcing the breach.

“We apologize to anyone whose private information may have been viewed and who entrusts our organization and its people with care of their health and safeguarding of their personal health information.”

Nova Scotia’s Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has reportedly been notified of the breach.

The NSHA says it will work with the privacy commissioner to implement recommendations that may be offered in light of the breach.

The health authority has promised to investigate further.

More to come.

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