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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Liposuction For Your Love Handles

Liposuction For Your Love HandlesThe love handles or flanks are the side of the body between the hip and the ribs. This body area has a tendency to develop fatty deposits. Sometimes, this fat may accumulate due to weight gain. In such cases, a person can successfully address the fat with diet and exercise.

However, at times these so-called love handles may also occur over time due to genetic factors. In such cases, there are very limited natural ways of removing this fat.

Thankfully, the flanks have various characteristics that make them respond very well to minimally invasive liposuction cosmetic surgery.

 

Sunny Information

The area is well-defined, which means that even a slight reduction of fat produces excellent improvements. In addition, the skin in the flanks has good elasticity, enabling it to mold to the new and tighter contours after liposuction surgery.

Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Gary Motykie provides liposuction of the love handles to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and surrounding communities.

 

What Causes Love Handles?

Aging, pregnancy, other hormonal fluctuations, and genetic predisposition are some factors that can cause fat to be stored in the flanks. Many of these causes are beyond an individual’s control. Therefore, liposuction provides an effective solution to eliminate love handles.

Liposuction will eliminate love handles for good, and the unappealing area of fat will likely never return. This procedure eliminates fat cells permanently, allowing the patient to bid adieu to their love handles forever.

But in case the patient puts on a large amount of weight, the remaining fat cells in the treated area and other parts of the body become larger. Liposuction for love handles is not meant to be a treatment for obesity. Therefore, patients should consider liposuction plastic surgery only for the treatment of isolated areas of unwanted fat.

 

Benefits of Flank Liposuction

  • More balance to the body
  • Enhanced body contours
  • Sleeker body shape
  • As the flanks influence clothing size, the patient may drop a size or two after liposuction for love handles
  • Minimally invasive procedure with significantly less recovery times in comparison to more invasive types of liposuction
  • Very safe procedure, undertaken only under local anesthesia

 

Procedure

The surgeon uses a device known as a cannula to perform flank liposuction. A cannula is a thin steel tube that the surgeon will delicately insert into the fat layer of the back.

They will move the cannula back and forth gently through the fat layer while remaining perfectly parallel to the skin. This will disintegrate the fat cells which are subsequently suctioned out of the body through a cannula.

Similar to every procedure that the surgeon performs, flank liposuction is also undertaken with minimally invasive tumescent liposuction. Only local anesthetic is used during this procedure.

The patient stays awake or is mildly sedated, and this liposuction technique leads to quicker healing and better outcomes than more invasive types of liposuction.

Flank liposuction offers men and women different results. In women, flank liposuction leads to enhancements in their feminine figure. It creates a beautiful S-shaped curve to the lower back region that enhances the rear as well.

On the other hand, flank liposuction creates more of a V-shape when viewing from the back. Flank reduction also creates a generally sleeker and fitter appearance in men.

 

Aspects to Consider

Throughout the liposuction procedure, the surgeon evaluates various factors such as the proportions of the patient’s body as well as skin elasticity. This enables the results to not only be beautiful, but also entirely unique to the patient.

Cosmetic surgeon Dr. Gary Motykie receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and nearby areas for liposuction of the love handles.


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Liposuction For Your Love Handles

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