OCH Regional Medical Center Data Breach Affects 51,266 People

On September 8, 2023, OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville, Mississippi, experienced a significant data breach that compromised sensitive information belonging to 51,266 individuals across the United States, including 4 residents of Massachusetts.

The breach wasn't discovered by OCH Regional Medical Center until six days later on September 14, 2023. According to disclosures made to both the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, unauthorized access to the hospital’s systems resulted in the exposure of a wide range of personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI).

The types of information exposed in this incident include medical records, Social Security numbers, account numbers, addresses, dates of birth, diagnoses, disability codes, insurance and payer information, names, and phone numbers. This combination of PII and PHI increases the risk of identity theft and medical fraud for those affected.

The breach was publicly disclosed to the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office on June 13, 2025, and to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on March 11, 2025. OCH Regional Medical Center has also posted a notice to consumers on their website with additional details.

OCH Regional Medical Center's response

In response to the breach, OCH Regional Medical Center initiated an internal investigation and worked with cybersecurity experts to contain and assess the impact of the incident. The hospital has notified affected individuals and regulatory authorities as required by law. If you believe your information may have been involved, it is important to review any correspondence from OCH Regional Medical Center and follow their guidance.

Given the sensitive nature of the exposed data—including Social Security numbers, medical records, and insurance details—affected individuals should take the following steps:

• Monitor your credit reports and bank accounts for any unusual activity.
• Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with major credit bureaus.
• Be vigilant about phishing attempts or suspicious communications that may reference your medical or personal information.
• Review your medical insurance statements for unauthorized services.

For more information about the hospital, visit the OCH Regional Medical Center website.