Allina Health MyChart users sent erroneous e-mails, raising concerns

Thousands of MyChart users received e-mails, raising concerns.

September 21, 2019 at 12:12AM
This erroneous email was sent to Allina Health patients on Thursday and Friday as a result of a technical glitch at the health system. Allina says no contact information was changed and no data were breached. The Star Tribune redacted the recipient’s name from the message because of privacy concerns.
This erroneous email was sent to Allina Health patients on Thursday and Friday as a result of a technical glitch at the health system. Allina says no contact information was changed and no data were breached. The Star Tribune redacted the recipient’s name from the message because of privacy concerns. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Thousands of Minnesotans who see doctors at Allina Health received erroneous messages Thursday and Friday that said the e-mail address used to contact them had been changed, but Allina is assuring patients that nothing was changed and no data were breached.

The erroneous e-mails were sent out as a result of a technical glitch involving Allina Health accounts and the MyChart accounts to which they are linked, an Allina spokeswoman confirmed Friday.

MyChart is a mobile application that allows patients to see their test results and prescriptions, make appointments and share their electronic medical records with others.

"No e-mails have been changed, and no data has been compromised," Allina Health spokeswoman Terri Dresen said. "The system was not hacked."

The problem came about as Allina Health officials were uploading data to the system.

During the uploading process, a glitch occurred that triggered an e-mail alert incorrectly informing patients about a change to their accounts.

"Your e-mail address has been updated," said the erroneous e-mail, sent from donotreply@mychartweb.com. "If you did not make this change, please contact your health care organization."

Allina officials said Friday there was no need for people who received the erroneous e-mail to contact the organization.

Joe Carlson • 612-673-4779

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about the writer

Joe Carlson

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Joe Carlson wrote about medical technology in Minnesota for the Star Tribune.

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