East Tennessee Children 's Hospital ('ETCH') is making individuals aware of a recent incident that may affect the privacy of certain information. ETCH takes this incident and the privacy of information in its care very seriously. While the investigation into this incident is ongoing, ETCH is providing notice of the event so that potentially affected individuals may take steps to better protect their information from misuse, should they feel it appropriate to do so.
What Happened? On March 13, 2022, ETCH identified unusual activity on its network. We promptly began taking steps to secure our systems and commenced a comprehensive investigation into the incident. Through the investigation to date, we have determined that ETCH experienced a cyber incident. While our investigation is ongoing, on March 18, 2022, we determined that certain documents stored within ETCHs environment may have been copied from or viewed on the system as part of the cyber incident between March 11, 2022 March 14, 2022. Based on the investigation, ETCH is currently working to determine the scope of potentially affected information and conducting a detailed review of the potentially impacted data to determine the type of information present and to whom it relates. This effort is currently ongoing.
What Information Was Involved? While the investigation to determine the full scope of potentially affected information is ongoing and may vary by individual, the relevant ETCH systems may contain the following types of information at the time of the event: names, date of birth, Social Security number, drivers license or state identification number, non-resident identification number, other demographic information, medical information, health insurance information, credit or debit card information, financial information, billing information, other personal health information, and usernames and passwords.
What is ETCH Doing? Along with providing outstanding patient care, the confidentiality, privacy, and security of information within our care are among our highest priorities. Upon discovering this incident, we promptly took steps to secure our systems and investigate the full scope of the incident. While the investigation of and response to the event are ongoing, we have taken additional steps to further enhance the security of our systems. As our investigation continues, we will also be notifying potentially affected individuals and providing information on steps that may be taken to best protect personal information.
What You Can Do? We encourage potentially affected individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing account statements, explanation of benefits, and monitoring free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Individuals may also review and consider the information and resources outlined in the Steps Individuals Can Take to Protect Their Personal Information found below.
Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended fraud alert on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumers credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumers credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumers identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.
As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a credit freeze on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumers express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on your credit report. To request a credit freeze, you will need to provide the following information:
For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-528-8662 or 1-888-743-0023; and www.oag.state.md.us. ETCH is located at 2018 W. Clinch Ave., Knoxville, TN 37916.
For New Mexico residents, you have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in your credit file has been used against you, the right to know what is in your credit file, the right to ask for your credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to your file is limited; you must give your consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; you may limit prescreened offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report; and you may seek damages from violator. You may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage you to review your rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; www.riag.ri.gov; and 1-401-274-4400. Under Rhode Island law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident. To date, the number of Rhode Island residents potentially impacted by this incident, if any, is unknown.
East Tennessee Children's Hospital is a 152-bed hospital certified by the state of Tennessee as one of four Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center in Tennessee and is accredited by the Joint Commission. As a Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center, Children's Hospital offers full capabilities to care for seriously ill children in a unique pediatric environment and offers the services of many different pediatric subspecialties. Children's Hospital works jointly with the University of Tennessee Medical Center to ensure that injured children in this region receive trauma care at the institution most appropriate for the child's needs. We also assist smaller hospitals by providing pediatric health care training opportunities.
Because children are special... they deserve the best possible health care given in a positive, family-centered atmosphere of friendliness, cooperation, and support - regardless of race, religion, or ability to pay. Their medical needs are closely related to their emotional and informational needs; therefore, the total child must be considered in treating any illness or injury. Their health care requires family involvement, special understanding, special equipment, and specially trained personnel who recognize that children are not miniature adults. Their health care can best be provided by a facility with a well-trained medical and hospital staff whose only interests and concerns are with the total health and well-being of infants, children, and adolescents.
One of Children's Hospital's top priorities is to emphasize the attitudes and actions we value in our organization as we provide care and service to our patients, their families and our other key customers. We strive to give extraordinary care and service to our patients, their families, members of the Children's Hospital family and the communities we serve. Our vision is to promote a culture of service excellence in all interactions with patients, families, guests, colleagues, physicians and the community through staff education, support and recognition.
Child- and Family-centered care is an approach to pediatric health care that focuses on the family as a child's primary source of strength and support. The philosophy shapes policies, programs, facility design and day-to-day practices. It is visible in large and small ways throughout hospitals that adopt the approach. Information sharing and collaboration between families and staff are the cornerstones of family-centered care. Child- and Family-centered health care professionals recognize the vital role families play in ensuring the health and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and family members of all ages. They acknowledge emotional, social and developmental support are integral components of health care.
Children's Hospital has been a part of the East Tennessee community since 1937. It is not just Knox County's hospital - it is here for children throughout the southeast region, including Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and these Tennessee counties:
East Tennessee Children's Hospital is here for you, 24/7 , and wants to be the best resource for your child's health needs. We encourage you to get in contact with us with questions or suggestions and we will get back in touch with you as soon as we can.