Almeida Law Group is investigating a data breach at Wentworth Douglass-Hospital. The breach occurred on February 20, 2026 and was discovered on February 27, 2026. If you were affected, contact Almeida Law Group.
About Wentworth Douglass-Hospital
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital (WDH) is a not-for-profit, 178-bed acute care hospital located in Dover, New Hampshire. Founded in 1906, it is a 501(c)(3) charitable health care organization certified as a Level III Adult and Pediatric Trauma center and a member of the Mass General Brigham health system since 2017. The hospital serves the Seacoast region of New Hampshire and Southern Maine with a staff of over 3,500 employees and more than 500 physicians and advanced practitioners. As a healthcare provider, WDH maintains protected health information for its patients, and the breach in this case involved sensitive identifiers including a Social Security number.
What Happened?
Wentworth Douglass-Hospital was listed in a Maine Attorney General filing reporting an inadvertent disclosure affecting one individual. According to the notification letter, on or about February 20, 2026, a patient’s name, date of birth, and VA number (which corresponds to the patient’s Social Security number) were inadvertently disclosed via a voicemail message to an unintended recipient. The Privacy Office discovered the incident on February 27, 2026, and written notification was sent to the affected individual on April 8, 2026. The hospital confirmed the incident did not involve bank accounts, financial accounts, or credit cards. WDH offered the affected individual 24 months of complimentary Experian IdentityWorks credit monitoring, with an enrollment deadline of July 31, 2026.
WDH has a documented history of prior privacy-related incidents, including a 2022 third-party data breach at an affiliated practice (Wentworth Health Partners Garrison Women’s Health) caused by an IT provider outage, a 2024 unauthorized workforce access incident involving a patient’s medical record, and a reported 2016 privacy breach. No litigation has been filed in connection with this specific May 2026 incident.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Company or Organization: Wentworth-Douglass Hospital (member of Mass General Brigham)
- Industry: Healthcare — Acute Care Hospital (not-for-profit)
- Location: Dover, New Hampshire
- Incident type: Inadvertent disclosure (voicemail sent to unintended recipient)
- Date of breach: February 20, 2026
- Date breach discovered: February 27, 2026
- Date of consumer notification: April 8, 2026
- Total persons affected: 1
- Identity theft protection offered: 24 months of Experian IdentityWorks credit monitoring
- Enrollment deadline: July 31, 2026
- Prior breach: Yes — 2022 third-party breach at affiliated practice, 2024 unauthorized workforce access incident, and a 2016 privacy breach
- Source: Maine Attorney General filing; Wentworth-Douglass Hospital — About WDH; TechTarget — Third-Party Data Breach at NH Hospital
What Should You Do?
If you were affected by this breach, enroll in the complimentary 24-month Experian IdentityWorks credit monitoring membership before the July 31, 2026 deadline using the activation code provided in your notification letter. Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit files with all three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to help prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened in your name. Monitor your credit reports regularly — you can obtain free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. Because health information was involved, review your Explanation of Benefits statements from your insurer and your medical records for any unfamiliar charges or services. If you suspect identity theft, report it at IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan.
Your Legal Rights
If your personal or health information was involved in this breach, you may have legal rights depending on the facts of the incident and the law in your state. Almeida Law Group represents consumers in data breach and privacy litigation and can help you evaluate whether you may have a claim. Contact us at (708) 529-5418 or through our contact page for a free case evaluation.
