Southcoast Health System Investigates Data Breach Exposing Sensitive Patient Information
Southcoast Health System, a not-for-profit healthcare provider serving southeastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island, is under investigation following a data breach that exposed sensitive patient information. The incident, discovered on February 16, 2026, involved unauthorized access to a single compromised user account, rather than a broader system intrusion.
The breach potentially exposed names and Social Security numbers, though the total number of affected individuals remains undisclosed. Southcoast Health, formed in 1996 through the affiliation of three hospitals Charlton Memorial (Fall River), St. Luke’s (New Bedford), and Tobey (Wareham) offers a range of medical services, including emergency care, cancer treatment, and surgical procedures.
Class action law firm Shamis & Gentile P.A. is leading the investigation, advising affected individuals that they may be eligible for compensation. The firm is reviewing legal options for those impacted by the breach. No further details on the breach’s origin or remediation efforts have been released.
Source: https://www.claimdepot.com/investigations/southcoast-health-data-breach-2026
Southcoast Health cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/southcoast-hospitals-group
"id": "SOU1778020231",
"linkid": "southcoast-hospitals-group",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "2/2026",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Healthcare',
'location': 'Southeastern Massachusetts and parts of '
'Rhode Island',
'name': 'Southcoast Health System',
'type': 'Healthcare Provider'}],
'attack_vector': 'Compromised User Account',
'data_breach': {'personally_identifiable_information': 'Names, Social '
'Security numbers',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
'type_of_data_compromised': 'Personally Identifiable '
'Information (PII)'},
'date_detected': '2026-02-16',
'description': 'Southcoast Health System is under investigation following a '
'data breach that exposed sensitive patient information. The '
'incident involved unauthorized access to a single compromised '
'user account, rather than a broader system intrusion. The '
'breach potentially exposed names and Social Security numbers.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': 'Names, Social Security numbers',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High',
'legal_liabilities': 'Potential class action lawsuit'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'references': [{'source': 'Shamis & Gentile P.A. Investigation Announcement'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': 'Class action investigation by '
'Shamis & Gentile P.A.',
'regulations_violated': 'Potential HIPAA violation'},
'title': 'Southcoast Health System Data Breach Exposing Sensitive Patient '
'Information',
'type': 'Data Breach'}