Notice of Data Incident
August 1, 2023

Dear Patients:
We post this Notice pursuant to the United States Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) to inform you about a data incident involving an unauthorized release of patient Protected Health Information (“PHI”), as that is defined by HIPAA, at Gary Motykie, M.D., a Medical Corporation and Gary Motykie, M.D. (“Practice”), a covered entity under HIPAA.

PHI, as defined by HIPAA, is information that is “created, received, maintained, or transmitted by or on behalf of the health care component of the Covered Entity.” § 164.105 (a)(2)(i)(D). Information that is created or received by a Covered Entity and that relates to the past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual; or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of healthcare to an individual is considered PHI. PHI is required to be protected when transmitted or maintained in any form by a Covered Entity. Individual identifiers (including but not limited to name, address, telephone number, fax, email address, social security number, medical record number, etc.) maintained in a designated record set along with health information (including but not limited to x-rays, images, scans, physician notes, diagnoses, treatment, eligibility approvals, claims, remittances, etc.) are collectively considered PHI.

Event Description:
On or about June 6, 2023, an initial technical analysis of the Practice’s information technology network determined an unauthorized release of PHI occurred to an unknown third party. The initial analysis determined that the unknown third party accessed the Practice’s network. It was further determined that the unknown third party acquired some of the Practice’s patient’s unencrypted PHI and that party was not authorized to do so and did so in an unlawful manner.

The information that may have been accessed or acquired during this unauthorized access included:

  • First and last name 
  • Social Security Number (if provided)
  • Address
  • Driver’s license or identification card number
  • Financial account or payment card number, in combination with any required CVV code
  • Intake forms, which may include medical information and history
  • Images taken in connection with the services rendered at our office
  • Health insurance information (if provided)
Steps Taken to Address:
Upon discovery, the Practice took the following immediate steps to address the situation:
  • Computers and servers replaced
  • Network passwords changed
  • Endpoint detection, virus, and malware detection tools and software installed on workstations and server
  • Limitations concerning Internet access
  • Access controls put in place for users based on role and responsibility
  • Server policies in place
  • Device locking mechanisms
  • Multi factor authentication enabled
  • Network segregation efforts
  • Encryption of devices
  • Additional workforce training
Risk Assessment:

The Practice conducted a risk assessment to evaluate the potential harm to potentially impacted individuals. Based on that assessment, it is determined that there is a high risk of harm. It is essential for potentially impacted individuals to remain vigilant in monitoring their personal accounts and data and promptly report any suspicious activity to law enforcement or their financial institutions.

Assistance and Resources:
Starting on or about June 22, 2023, letters were mailed to patients providing the following resources to assist the potentially impacted individuals, offering at no cost:
  • two (2) years of no cost Triple Bureau Credit Monitoring/Triple Bureau Credit Report/Triple Bureau Credit Score/Cyber Monitoring services.
  • the services also include reviewing whether Information appears on the dark web and alert the individual if such Information is found online.
  • proactive fraud assistance to help with any questions in event a potentially impacted persons becomes a victim of fraud.

Steps to Prevent Future Incidents: We deeply regret any inconvenience or concern this Incident may cause. The Practice is taking numerous steps to help prevent similar Incidents in the future. We will continue to review and enhance our security measures, policies, and employee training.

If you failed to receive your letter in the mail, and/or if there is a concern your mailing address has changed since you were a patient at the Practice, please contact 1-800-405-6108 or call our office immediately at 310-246-2355 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific time, Monday through Friday.

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Demand for Cosmetic Surgery and Non-surgical Procedures on the Rise

Dr. Gary Motykie is a board certified plastic surgeon providing advanced and innovative cosmetic surgery as well as non-surgical procedures. Dr. Motykie also provides a dedicated medspa facility called Motykie Medical Spa, where patients can receive a wide range of non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures.

Patients in Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, and surrounding communities have an opportunity to receive both surgical as well as non-surgical treatments in a state of the art environment at the practice.

Rising Demand Curve for Aesthetic Procedures

Demand for Cosmetic Surgery and Non-surgical Procedures on the RiseThe American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), which is a pre-eminent organization for plastic surgeons in the United States, brought out a detailed report in 2012 on the growth and demand trends in the profession of plastic surgery. The report titled “Plastic Surgery Statistics Report 2012” provides some revealing insights about the growing popularity and acceptance of cosmetic treatments, both surgical as well as non-surgical, in the U.S.

The figures reveal that there is a growth in demand across almost every segment of the aesthetic treatments. The data speaks for itself, and it demonstrates a higher level of patient satisfaction and trust in various invasive, minimally invasive, and non-invasive aesthetic procedures. The report also indicates a rise in the number of repeat patients. Dr. Motykie’s plastic surgery practice and Motykie Medical Spa are contributors to this positive growth trend because of their firm commitment to achieving the highest levels of patient satisfaction in every procedure. See the average price of these cosmetic procedures and treatments

Report Highlights

The ASPS report reveals that in 2012, 14.6 million aesthetic procedures were performed in the United States. This was a jump of 5 percent in the number of procedures compared to 2011. The total number of cosmetic surgeries performed in 2012 increased over the previous, with breast augmentation surgery leading the pack. Since 2006, breast augmentation procedure has consistently ranked as the number one cosmetic surgery in the United States.

Breast augmentation was followed by procedures such as nose reshaping surgery, eyelid surgery, liposuction, and facelift surgery in that order, among the most in-demand procedures. Within the breast augmentation category, a majority of patients (62 percent) chose silicone implants, while the remaining opted for traditional saline implants.

The demand for less invasive and minimally invasive procedures also rose in 2012 compared to the previous year. Botox was the top most procedure in terms of popularity, with more than 6.1 million Botulinum Toxin Type A treatments performed in 2012. This represented a substantial increase of 8 percent over the previous year. Patients also placed their trust in soft tissue cosmetic fillers, which followed Botox at number two, with over 2 million procedures in 2012.

Other popular non-surgical procedures in 2012 included chemical peels, laser hair removal, and microdermabrasion treatments in that order. Nine out of 10 cosmetic procedures were performed on females, which males constituting only one out of 10 procedures. People in the age group 40-54 years opted the most for aesthetic treatments, with 48 percent of all procedures being performed in this age group.

Reaffirmation of Trust

Probably the best reaffirmation of faith in aesthetic surgery as well as non-surgical treatments came in the form of a growth in the number of repeat patients. Business from repeat patients increased 7 percent in 2012, which is indicative of a growing level of patient satisfaction with regard to cosmetic treatment outcomes.

To see more services and treatments provided by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Motykie in Beverly Hills | Los Angeles and his team please visit:

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