The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta Announces Data

The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta Announces Data Security Incident Atlanta (May 30, 2022) Georgia-based The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing comprehensive health care services for people living with Multiple Sclerosis and other neurological diseases, has notified its patients via email of a data breach. Outreach to impacted patients began on May 25, 2022. Upon learning of the breach on March 31, 2022, The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta conducted a thorough, forensic investigation to learn what information was compromised as well as any impacted patient information. The investigation revealed that on or about March 31, 2022, there was unauthorized access by an outside individual to an email account of an employee. Emails were sent to the contacts held within the email account. The affected email account included patient names, dates of birth, and medical information. No other servers, systems, or email accounts were compromised, and The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta's electronic medical record (EMR) system was not compromised. Patients can contact MSCA's COO, Tamara Smith at 404-609-5432 if they have questions or would like additional information. Impacted patients will receive notification via email of the data breach. Individuals may wish to proactively monitor their account statements, bills, and notices for any unusual activity and to promptly report any concerns. Patient care is at the core of The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta's mission as is the critical role the practice plays in protecting patient privacy and confidentiality. While data breaches have become unfortunately common across all industries, and especially in healthcare, The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta regrets any inconvenience or undue stress this event has placed on its patients. The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta will continue to aggressively pursue every action to resolve the situation and is reviewing and enhancing its security protocols and safeguards to avoid an event like this for its patients in the future. Tamara D. Smith COO of MSCA (404) 351-0205 www.mscatl.org 3200 Downwood Circle, NW, Suite 550 Atlanta, GA 30327 6-7-22