Community Health Systems, which operates 206 hospitals in 29 states including Santa Rosa Medical Center in Milton and North Okaloosa Medical Center in Crestview were the victims of a cyber-attack believed to be based out of China. The hospitals were not compromised. However, the physician network affiliated with the hospitals was exposed to what is believed to be the “Heartbleed” internet bug. According to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Form 8-K filed on August 18, the records of approximately 4.5 million individuals within the Community Health System physician network who in the last five years were referred for or received services from affiliated physicians were affected. The data taken includes patients’ names, addresses, birthdates, social security numbers, and, in some cases, telephone numbers, and the names of employers or guarantors. Community Health System stated that the data did not include patient credit card, medical or clinical information; the data is, however, considered protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) Santa Rosa Medical Center became part of Community Health Systems in January of 2014.
Veterans will have a chance to speak out at an open forum about their health care concerns on Sept. 8. The Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System will hold a town hall event for at its Joint Ambulatory Care Center beginning at 6 p.m.
More than 18 members of the Holley Navarre Professional Firefighters Local #4695 and Holley Navarre Fire District will fan out at the Navarre Wal-Mart with boots in hand for this year’s Muscular Dystrophy Association drive on Aug. 29, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Navarre Beach Marine Science Station (NBMSS) Outreach Octobus has arrived on station. The bus will allow members of the NBMSS to bring STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education to groups that may not otherwise be able to visit the station.
The skimmer season is almost at its end. In just about two weeks most of the chicks found on the Navarre Beach Causeway will have migrated away from the popular nesting location for black skimmers and least turns.
“I’m a Southern lady,” Frances Dohn said, then laughed when I asked her if she grew up in the hills of South Carolina; city boy figures all those Carolina places are hill country.
Dozens of children squealed with delight while sliding down giant waterslides at the Midway Fire Department’s annual open house Aug. 16. The fun-filled event has been held for 30 years, but in recent years waterslides and kiddie pools were added to the activities, making it a splashy end-of-summer celebration.
Winds off East Bay gently whisper amid moss-draped oaks near historic Holley Point Cemetery, where a simple, white wood church once stood. In yesteryear the site, which also served as a school, was constantly abuzz with children playing after school and families enjoying Sunday dinner on the grounds. Now the property remains quiet and has been, mostly, forgotten.
