Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates Data Breach Investigation
Strauss Borrelli PLLC, a leading data breach law firm, is investigating Internal Medicine Associates, LLC, which does business as Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates regarding its recent data breach. The Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates data breach may have involved sensitive personal information belonging to an undetermined number of individuals.
ABOUT INTERNAL MEDICINE ASSOCIATES, LLC D/B/A GASTOINTESTINAL MEDICINE ASSOCIATES:
Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates is a healthcare organization based in Rhode Island. Founded in 1968, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates offers a full array of gastroenterology services, including colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography, upper endoscopy, endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography, capsule endoscopy, esophageal dilation, and more. Additionally, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates’ providers have expertise in a full range of GI diseases and conditions such as esophageal reflux (GERD), Barrett’s esophagus, peptic ulcer disease, liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, and gastrointestinal bleeding.2 With two main offices in Cranston and Narragansett, Rhode Island, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates has three additional satellite locations in Rhode Island.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Recently, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates reported to the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that it had experienced a data breach in which the sensitive personal identifiable information in its systems may have been accessed. According to the breach notice, on April 15, 2024, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates discovered suspicious activity in its computer systems. As a result, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates launched an investigation to determine the nature of the incident.
Through its investigation, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates learned that sensitive personal information in its systems may have been compromised between April 5 and April 15, 2024. As a result, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates began a review of the data to determine what information had been impacted as well as identify the specific individuals affected. On July 23, 2024, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates completed this review. The exact type of personal information potentially exposed has not been made publicly available by Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates. However, according to state reporting guidelines, “personal information” can include the following types of information:
- Name
- Social Security number
- Driver’s license or state issued identification card number
- Financial account number, or credit or debit card number, with or without any required security code, access code, personal identification number or password, that would permit access to an individual’s financial account
On August 7, 2024, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates began mailing data breach notification letters to impacted individuals. Based on the breach notice sent to Massachusetts residents, Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates is providing affected individuals with a list of the specific type of sensitive information impacted and 24 months of complimentary credit monitoring services. A link to the form breach notification letters that Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates filed with the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is below.
If you received a breach notification letter from Internal Medicine Associates d/b/a Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates:
We would like to speak with you about your rights and potential legal remedies in response to this data breach. Please fill out the form, below, or contact us at 872.263.1100 or sam@straussborrelli.com.
