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HHS update to breach tool shows laptop theft is not a thing of the past, Part 1

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Dissent

HHIS updated its breach tool this week, adding a baker’s dozen of incidents. Significantly, 6 of the 13 involved stolen laptops while 3 others involved theft or loss of electronic devices.

Two of the 13 incidents were already known through either media coverage or reports to a state’s attorney general. In both cases, HHS’s breach tool disclosed the number of patients affected, which neither entity had done in their disclosures to media or patients:

  • Heyman HospiceCare at Floyd reported a laptop theft previously noted here. According to their disclosure to HHS, 1,819 patients had information on the stolen laptop.
  • Crescent Health Inc. – a Walgreens Company reported computer theft that affected 109,000. It’s not clear from HHS’s entry whether the 109,000 refers to patients and employees, or just patients, as both patients and employees were impacted by this breach.

I did some digging to find details for the reports where we had no previous information:

  • County of San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health reported that limited information on 683 clients was contained in documents stolen from a County of San Bernardino Department of Human Services‘ employee’s car on January 12. The information included names, dates of birth, DBH medical record number, and indication that services were provided by DBH.
  • Catoctin Dental (Richard B. Love, D.D.S., P.A.) reported that  6,400 patients had information on a server hacked from overseas. In a February 22nd notification to patients, they write that name, address, date of birth, phone number, social security number, dental plan information, photographs and radiographic images, and some personal health information may have been accessed, as well as less than 100 e-mail addresses. In a subsequent letter, however, they note that forensics indicated that the data had neither been stolen nor read.
  • Kindred Healthcare, Inc. d/b/a Kindred Transitional Care and Rehabilitation in Massachusetts reported that  716 patients had information on a “portable electronic device” that was stolen between December 15 and December 17, 2012.  A statement on their web site indicates that the information was on backup tapes in a safe that was stolen during an office burglary. Some of the information on the tapes included name, diagnosis, social security number, medications, Medicaid number, and other clinical information. Note that this was Kindred’s third office burglary involving theft of safes containing backup tapes.  I blogged about two similar incidents they had here. I hope law enforcement and HHS are investigating how this chain had three similar breaches in less than one year.
  • Center for Pain Management, LLC in Maryland reported that  5,822 patients had information on two laptops stolen on January 22. According to a notice on their web site and patient notification letter, the laptops were stolen from their Rockville office and contained patients’ visit and procedure notes with names, dates of birth, medical history, medical diagnoses, and procedures performed, such as injections.
  • HomeCare of Mid-Missouri, Inc. reported that 4,027 patients had information on a laptop stolen on December 14. A copy of their February 14th notification letter on their web site indicates that it was stolen while being transported between the office and home care visits. Patient information on the laptop included names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, addresses and phone numbers, and a description of services provided by the agency.

In Part 2, I’ll describe the other newly disclosed breaches. I’m just waiting for responses to some inquiries I sent out to see if I can get additional details on those incidents. Please check the site for the Part 2 post later today.

Category: Health Data

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