Treasure Coast Hospice notifies 13,000 patients of data breach following email compromise

Health & Palliative Services of the Treasure Coast, Inc., doing business as Treasure Coast Hospice, has disclosed a data breach affecting 13,234 individuals after unauthorized access was detected within its email system. The nonprofit organization, which provides hospice and palliative care services across Martin, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties in Florida, confirmed that the incident involved patient information potentially exposed during a cybersecurity event.

According to the organization, unusual activity was identified in its email environment on September 25, 2024. Treasure Coast Hospice immediately engaged a third-party cybersecurity firm to investigate the incident, which later confirmed that an unauthorized party had accessed an email account containing patient data.

A detailed review of the affected account was completed on July 15, 2025, revealing that various types of information may have been accessed or copied. The exposed data varied by individual and could include names, dates of birth, demographic details, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, health insurance information, financial data, and medical information.

While there is no evidence that any of the compromised information has been misused, Treasure Coast Hospice has begun notifying all affected individuals. The organization is offering complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to help safeguard patients from potential fraud.

“As a precaution, we strongly encourage those affected to take advantage of the identity protection services being offered,” the organization stated.

In response to the incident, Treasure Coast Hospice has enhanced its cybersecurity measures by strengthening email security protocols, initiating weekly security scans, and providing additional data protection training to staff members.