Data breach exposes users of major patient portal ManageMyHealth
The breach may affect over 108,000 users, according to the latest reports.
More than 108,000 users of ManageMyHealth may have had their information exposed following a data breach affecting one of the country’s largest patient portals. The incident occurred on Wednesday and is believed to have affected between 6% and 7% of the platform’s 1.8 million registered users.
ManageMyHealth said affected users will be contacted within 48 hours with details about whether and how their data was accessed. Chief executive Vino Ramayah said the company takes the protection of health information extremely seriously and acknowledged the stress such incidents can cause.
He confirmed that the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has been notified and is working with the company to meet legal obligations.
Health Minister Simeon Brown described the breach as concerning but stated that there was no evidence to suggest that Health New Zealand systems, including My Health Account, had been compromised. He added that health services were continuing to operate as normal and that there had been no clinical impact on patient care.
Health New Zealand said it is coordinating with the National Cyber Security Centre and other agencies to understand the scope of the breach and ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.
Officials stressed expectations around security standards, transparency and clear communication, while ongoing engagement with primary care providers and GPs continues.
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