This is not the typical kind of medical privacy breach that I post to this blog, but it’s a reminder that there are many types of privacy breaches and some may be particularly malignant: Following news that security forces stole Narges Mohammadi’s medical records, she spoke the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran about…
Category: Health Data
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida notifies almost 7,400 members that their EOBs were sent to wrong addresses
A press release issued by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, seen on SacBee: In late January 2011, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) discovered that, because of a system error, it had inadvertently mailed some member health information to incorrect addresses. BCBSF regrets that this error occurred. BCBSF fixed the issue the…
Laptop containing unencrypted L.A. County patient records stolen
A laptop computer containing more than 660 patient names and diagnostic information was stolen last month from Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey, Los Angeles County health officials confirmed Friday. At least 667 patient records were on the stolen laptop, which included names, dates of birth and medical record information, said county Department…
Cord Blood Registry notifies 300,000 of stolen backup tapes
I first became aware of the following breach from DataLossDB.org. It was reported to them by one of those affected who also reported it on ScamSafe: ScamSafe appears to be the first to report a serious data breach at Cord Blood Registry (www.cordblood.com). No mention has been found of this breach in the news or…
Hospital Directed to Pay Patient RM 150,000 for Disclosing Confidential (and Erroneous!) Information about HIV Status
Prakash Sharma reports: A Malaysian hospital has been directed to pay a man RM150,000 for the breach of privacy. According to the arguments presented during judicial proceedings, it was informed by the man’s attorney that the hospital had shot letters to his family, friends and employers informing them that the man is HIV positive. Despite…
UK: Sensitive documents with security PINs on found in street
Paul Christian reports: Sensitive documents detailing addresses and home security pin numbers of vulnerable people were found in a gutter. The care worker rotas, owned by Plan Personnel, were discovered by a passer-by in a parking bay near shops in Dellsome Lane, Welham Green. The documents comprise three pages of 37 addresses of vulnerable people…