Patient Update

Western Pathology Consultants, Ltd. Notifies Patients of Data Security Incident

Reno, NV—July 19, 2019—Western Pathology Consultants, Ltd. (“Western Pathology”) has been informed by Retrieval Masters Creditors Bureau d/b/a American Medical Collection Agency (“AMCA”) of a data security incident involving the AMCA payment website. AMCA is an independent collection agency that Western Pathology and many other entities used for debt collection. The incident is limited to AMCA’s systems. The security of Western Pathology’s  systems was not affected by this incident.

According to AMCA, on March 21, 2019, AMCA became aware of facts indicating there had been a data security incident. After conducting an investigation, in May of 2019, AMCA notified Western Pathology about the incident and informed Western Pathology that an AMCA database containing information for some Western Pathology patients had been affected. However, at the time of AMCA’s initial notification, AMCA did not provide Western Pathology with enough information for Western Pathology to identify potentially affected patients or confirm the nature of patient information potentially involved in the incident, and Western Pathology’s investigation is on-going. Based on the information provided by AMCA, the following information belonging to Western Pathology patients may have been affected by the incident: patient names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, dates of service, balance information, credit card or banking information and treatment provider information. AMCA has advised Western Pathology that its patients’ social security numbers were not involved in the incident.  Western Pathology does not provide AMCA healthcare records such as laboratory results and clinical history. The impact of this incident is limited to patients whose accounts were referred for debt collection and who reside in the United States.

Individuals with questions about this incident or questions about precautionary steps they can take may call 833-300-6928.

Western Pathology takes the security of its patients’ information very seriously, including the security of data handled by vendors. The privacy and protection of patient information is a top priority. As a result of the investigation, Western Pathology is no longer using AMCA for collection efforts.

Western Pathology greatly appreciates the patience and loyalty of its patients as it works to respond to this incident.

While we are unaware of the misuse of any patient’s information, we are providing the following information to help those wanting to know more about steps they can take to protect themselves: 

What steps can I take to protect my personal information?

• If you detect any suspicious activity on any of your accounts, you should promptly notify the financial institution or company with which the account is maintained. You should also promptly report any fraudulent activity or any suspected incidents of identity theft to proper law enforcement authorities.
• Obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, directly from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies.  To do so, free of charge once every 12 months, please visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting agencies is listed at the bottom of this page.
• Please notify your financial institution immediately of any unauthorized transactions made or new accounts opened in your name.
• You can take steps recommended by the Federal Trade Commission to protect yourself from identity theft. The FTC’s website offers helpful information at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
• Additional information on what you can do to better protect yourself is included in your notification letter.

What should I do to protect myself from payment card/credit card fraud?

We suggest you review your debit and credit card statements carefully for any unusual activity.  If you see anything you do not understand or that looks suspicious, you should contact the issuer of the debit or credit card immediately.

How do I obtain a copy of my credit report?

You can obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, directly from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies. To order your credit report, free of charge once every 12 months, please visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting agencies is included in the e-mail and letter, and is also listed at the bottom of this page:

How do I put a fraud alert on my account?

You may consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report. This fraud alert statement informs creditors to possible fraudulent activity within your report and requests that your creditor contact you prior to establishing any accounts in your name. To place a fraud alert on your credit report, contact Equifax, Experian or TransUnion and follow the Fraud Victims instructions. To place a fraud alert on your credit accounts, contact your financial institution or credit provider. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting agencies is included in the letter and is also listed at the bottom of this page.