As a follow-up to a breach reported on the companion site, databreaches.net, last week, a reader sends a link to a second article by Anna Caldwell and David Earley that shows how the breach was more extensive than originally reported and how despite the fact that Sullivan Nicolaides removed the files from their site, copies remained available and publicly viewable in Google cache.
The type of problem (with cache) described in the article is not uncommon. Even when entities do contact Google immediately to request expedited removal of files, Google often does not remove files immediately, as we have seen in other cases.
The bigger question, of course, is the fact that so much personal and sensitive information can be exposed to the world. Despite those who argue for EMR/EHR/PHR, this blogger continues to have strong reservations that security has not kept pace with technology and that many of us will find our most sensitive health data exposed on the internet.
As a reminder: news of healthcare-related breaches for 2009 can be found on databreaches.net in the Medical category.
Dissent,
Please keep up the good work you’re doing on this issue.
I fear the Obama administration is charging forward on EMR/EHR/PHR too quickly without enough attention to the privacy and security ramifications based on dubious claims of reduced costs.
Thanks for all you do.
Rob