P.J. Reilly reports in the Intelligencer Journal: A medical practice in East Hempfield Township is contacting nearly 12,000 of its patients to notify them that a computer was stolen from the office April 17. The computer contained the names, addresses, telephone numbers and Social Security numbers of many of the patients who visited the office…
Author: Dissent
Florida man found guilty in Santa Rosa identity theft case
Kris Wernowsky reports in the Pensacola News Journal: A former Santa Rosa Medical Center nurse took the stand Thursday and admitted that he stole a patient’s identity and used it to get thousands of dollars to purchase vehicles. “It’s wrong, what I did,†Gary Lamar Holt said during his testimony. “I didn’t mean to hurt…
Health-care company, state deny personal data was at risk
Scott Bauer reports: The security of a database containing sensitive information about 240,000 senior citizens and disabled people in Wisconsin was never breached or at risk, the chief executive of the company that controls the data said Thursday. A top official with the state Department of Health and Family Services also sought to assure the…
Senate passes Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007
By a vote of 95-0 this afternoon, the Senate passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007, as amended. The five Senators not voting were Clinton (D-NY), DeMint (R-SC), Gregg (R-NH), McCain (R-AZ), and Obama (D-IL). Prior to passage of the bill, Senator Snowe introduced an amendment to H.R. 493 (SA 4573 [pdf]) that passed….
Security hole in Harmony's SAMS program exposed personal and health information on Wisconsin seniors and disabled
Scott Bauer of the Associated Press reports that a computer program run by Harmony Information Systems has a significant security hole that resulted in exposure of personal and medical information on Wisconsin seniors and disabled people. The program in question, Harmony’s Social Assistance Management Systems program, is used by Wisconsin to compile nutrition information…
New BC health law could lead to privacy abuse
Pamela Fayerman of the Vancouver Sun reports: Legislation paving the way for the collection and sharing of electronic health records opens the door for massive privacy security breaches, say groups opposed to the Bill which will soon get second reading. The way Bill 24 is drafted, B.C. residents could find their private health records circulating…