Updated information on computer network virus at Cascade Healthcare Community

Bend, Ore. – As Cascade Healthcare Community information technology experts have continued working to distill accurate information about damage caused by a recent computer virus on the hospital organization’s network, it has become clear that fewer members of the public were potentially impacted than CHC originally believed.

It now seems that less than 10,500 people may have had their personal information, including names, addresses, dates of birth and credit card numbers, exposed during the virus which first hit CHC’s network on Dec. 11. Approximately 10,400 are Air Life of Oregon members and 79 are donors to the St. Charles Foundation.

All people believed to be potentially affected by the breach will be contacted directly within the next week with detailed information on the credit monitoring services provided free of charge by CHC.

“When a computer virus of this magnitude hits a complex system like ours, it takes time to determine exactly how many records may have been compromised,” explained James A. Diegel, FACHE, President and CEO of CHC. “We now know that the number of people potentially affected is less than we first believed, and we are doing everything in our power to support those who may experience problems due to this breach in our security system.”

Diegel reiterated that CHC has no evidence, at this point, that any information has been misused. The organization also does not believe that any patient health information has been compromised.

CHC announced news of the computer virus on Wednesday, March 5 after an exhaustive forensic analysis by external experts revealed that information may have been made vulnerable during the attack. The health system has contracted with an industry-leading provider of credit monitoring services and is providing free enrollment in a 12-month credit monitoring program for those affected.

For more information and answers to frequently asked questions visit www.cascadehealthcare.org/media/press-releases/2008/computer-virus.aspx. Additional recorded information is available by calling 541-693-5858.