Manage My Health portals
King Country residents have been caught up in the Manage My Health data security breach.
Manage My Health
Hackers stole information about approximately 125,000 New Zealanders – 6–7 per cent of Manage My Health users – from the portal’s My Health Documents section on December 30.
The criminals followed that up with a ransom demand of about $100,000 – but it is not known what their deadline was.
Justin Butcher
Manage My Health has been notifying affected users and practices, including some supported by Primary Health Organisation Pinnacle Midlands Health Network.
“Based on indicative information, the number of affected people connected to Pinnacle practices in Ōtorohanga, Te Kūiti and Kāwhia appears to be less than 50,” Pinnacle’s chief executive Justin Butcher told The News.
“But we will not be confirming whether any particular practices have been affected while notifications by Manage My Health are ongoing.”
Personal details obtained can be used for further cybercrimes related to identity-theft-related fraud.
“During any incident like this, scammers may try to take advantage of uncertainty,” Butcher said. “So, we are encouraging people to be cautious, use official channels and not to share passwords or verification codes with anyone.”
Pinnacle represents more than 80 practices throughout the central North Island, including a few from the King Country region. In total, an estimated 6000 people across the network are thought to have been impacted.
“Health information is sensitive, so when people hear that documents have been accessed it’s understandable that some will feel upset and uneasy,” Butcher said. “Confidence depends on clear communication, strong corrective action and people seeing that the right safeguards and assurances are in place.”
Te Kūiti Medical Centre has used Manage My Health for approximately five years, however less than a third of its patients are registered through the portal.
“We’ve been guaranteed that the Manage My Health portal is safe,” practice manager Peter Liddle said. “It is beneficial for our patients – it’s mostly about convenience of booking appointments, but also providing information about blood tests and x-rays and referral letters, for example, as soon as it comes through.”
While Kāwhia Health Centre and Ōtorohanga Medical Centre no longer use Manage My Health, patients’ data may still have been compromised.
“We moved to the MyIndici portal in September 2024,” Ōtorohanga’s practice manager, Michelle McKenzie said. “But we have been informed that historical patient data may still be visible on the platform. Patients may wish to close their Manage My Health accounts if they are concerned.”
Manage My Health began notifying affected patients and practices last week.
Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has pledged to undertake a review of the portal and the security breach.
“We need assurances around the protection and security of people’s health data,” he said. “Patient data is incredibly personal and must be protected to the highest of standards. We must learn from this incident to avoid any repeat events in the future.”
Manage My Health portals
