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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How to Prepare for Your Liposuction Surgery Consultation?

How to Prepare for Your Liposuction Surgery Consultation?Liposuction ranks among the most popular plastic surgery procedures in the US today. While the success rates in liposuction are very high, it is no guarantee that every procedure will deliver the best levels of satisfaction. To achieve a high rate of satisfaction, the patient should prepare well for a liposuction consultation and objectively determine their candidacy.

Dr. Gary Motykie is a leading cosmetic surgeon providing liposuction and various other body contouring surgeries. Dr. Motykie encourages his patients to ask questions during the initial consultation and educates them on all aspects of liposuction. He provides liposuction surgery to patients in Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, and surrounding locations.

 

Preparing for Consultation

With a little effort on preparation, the patient can expect to have a much more informative and useful consultation for liposuction plastic surgery. They should carefully evaluate their personal body contouring needs and aspirations. They should identify specific areas of the body where they feel particularly unhappy about excess fat deposits. All this information must be shared with the surgeon clearly during the first appointment.

The patient should check their health records to make a note of any serious medical conditions suffered in the past, the date of such illness and the treatment received. If any surgeries were performed in the past, they should be recorded along with the dates. If the patient has been taking any medications or herbal supplements, a list of names and dosages should be noted.

If the patient has had a history of smoking, drinking or drug use, they should take the surgeon into confidence and share the details frankly. These vital details will help the surgeon to formulate an appropriate liposuction surgery plan and ensure safe and optimal results. Experienced cosmetic surgeon Dr. Motykie receives patients from Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, and nearby areas.

 

Questions for the Surgeon

Prior to the first consultation for liposuction, the patient should start preparing a list of questions they would like to ask from the surgeon. Whenever a new question arises in the mind, they should add it to the list. A ready list of questions during the consultation will ensure that nothing important is missed out. An experienced surgeon will normally address all the questions in accurate details to help the patient make a well-informed decision.

If the patient is concerned about a highly invasive procedure, they should ask for various liposuction options, including laser, ultrasound and radio frequency assisted procedures to make the surgery less invasive. Non-surgical alternatives should also be discussed during the consultation. The patient should also satisfy themselves about the surgeon’s credentials, training and experience and request for patient testimonials and liposuction before and after photos.

 

Medical Terms to Know

The patient should familiarize themselves with common liposuction related terms such as tumescent liposuction, laser liposuction, ultrasound liposuction, local anesthesia and IV sedation, cannula and suction lipectomy. They should review a few fantastic and informative websites, online forums or books to learn about the latest techniques in liposuction surgery.

 

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How to Prepare for Your Liposuction Surgery Consultation?

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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