Palomar Health Medical Group has but to say why it was pressured to close down its pc programs greater than seven weeks in the past, and sufferers instructed NBC 7 Responds they’re nonetheless struggling to get care.
Camila Cortez of Escondido mentioned getting an appointment has been a nightmare.
“It’s horrible. I’ve been attempting to get an appointment for over a month. I’ve referred to as however nobody solutions,” she mentioned.
She mentioned she had desperately wanted the vaccine since visiting the emergency room a couple of month in the past with a excessive fever and issue respiratory.
“It’s nearly inconceivable to even get in contact with the assistant,” Cortez mentioned. “I’ve tried the web system, however issues change every single day. I log in and it does not work.”
“I’m confused, I’m pissed off, and I simply need to get higher,” Cortez mentioned.
NBC 7 Responds has requested Palomar Health Medical Group to deal with affected person issues, and the corporate mentioned it can contact them when it has a response. As we proceed to attend for a response, we determined to search out out what and when the corporate is required to report cybersecurity incidents.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) requires healthcare services to report any breach that will have uncovered affected person medical info inside 15 enterprise days of discovery, which on this case was May 24. We requested the well being division if it had been notified however couldn’t inform us.
At the federal stage, the HIPAA breach notification rule requires a medical facility to inform sufferers, the media, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) of a breach inside 60 days if the breach impacts 500 or extra sufferers. I checked the portal and Palomar Health Medical Group was not listed, though we’re nonetheless inside the 60-day window.
Cortez mentioned he does not care about that proper now, he simply desires to get higher.
“I need to preserve working and preserve dwelling my life, however the fixed cough and fixed sickness is getting in the best way,” Cortez mentioned.
Palomar Health Medical Group emailed sufferers on June 12 saying it anticipated web and digital medical report entry to be restored inside per week. Nearly two weeks have handed, and sufferers say that hasn’t occurred.
An worker shared with us an inner e mail, additionally despatched on June twelfth, which said that 85% of programs have been on monitor to be restored by July 1st, and 100% by July 18th.
The cybersecurity incident didn’t have an effect on Palomar Medical Center in Poway or Escondido.