Everett & Hurite Ophthalmic Association

Everett & Hurite Ophthalmic Association is an ophthalmic practice that provides eye care services to patients in its service area. As a specialized provider, the organization focuses on the medical and surgical management of eye conditions, offering services such as comprehensive eye examinations, diagnosis of ocular diseases, and treatment options that may include prescription medications, laser procedures, or surgical interventions. The association functions as a covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which obligates it to safeguard the protected health information of the individuals it serves. Its primary market consists of residents seeking vision health care, although the exact geographic extent of its operations is not detailed in the available sources. By concentrating exclusively on ophthalmology, the entity distinguishes itself from general medical practices or multi‑specialty hospitals that provide a broader array of health services. The organization’s clinical team is composed of ophthalmologists and allied health professionals who are trained to address both routine vision needs and complex eye disorders. This specialization allows the association to develop expertise in areas such as cataract management, glaucoma treatment, and retinal care, which are common components of ophthalmic practice. The entity’s role in the local health care ecosystem is to deliver timely and appropriate eye care that helps preserve or restore vision for its patient population.

The breach disclosed in February 2020 provides insight into the scale of the association’s operations, as the compromised email account contained personal data belonging to 34,113 individuals. This number indicates that the organization maintains a sizable patient base, reflecting a notable footprint within the community it serves. Headquartered in the United States, with public references pointing to a location in Pennsylvania, the entity operates under U.S. federal and state health care regulations. The incident involved unauthorized access to an employee email account over a one‑month period, during which patient names and, for some individuals, additional details such as dates of birth, financial and health insurance information, Social Security numbers, and medical treatment information were present in the compromised account. Although the investigation found no evidence that the data was actually viewed or misused, the exposure prompted the organization to secure the account, engage forensic specialists, and notify federal health authorities. The association’s handling of protected health information underscores its status as a health care provider subject to privacy laws, and its response to the breach illustrates the steps taken to mitigate potential harm. While the source material does not specify the organization’s ownership structure, parent company affiliations, or subsidiary relationships, it functions as an independent ophthalmic association delivering eye care services to its community.