I’m not a fan of postcard appointment reminders for patients, as they expose the fact that the named individual is a patient of a particular doctor or practice – and sometimes, that, in and of itself, reveals more than I would want to see revealed. But under HIPAA, postcard reminders are not barred, and patients…
Category: Health Data
KS: Laptop with sensitive personal and medical info stolen from Valley Hope Association employee’s car
Valley Hope Association in Kansas provides alcohol, drug, and related treatment services and have done so since 1967, according to their site. Despite their extensive and long history of experience, patient information was not encrypted on a laptop that was stolen from an employee’s car in December. Why? Here’s their announcement of the incident, below….
UK: Alert auctioneer stops data of 7,000 patients in west Norfolk being sold to highest bidder after blunder at Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Thank goodness for alert auctioneers. Sophie Biddle reports: A health chief at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in King’s Lynn, has announced a full internal investigation is underway after a piece of medical equipment containing personal data slipped through the first stage of their disposal process. The potential for the information to be leaked was however…
San Diego Medical Center Did Not Report A Data Breach To State
California Healthline reports: Tri-City Medical Center, which says a longtime clerical clerk was dismissed for breaching patient data, did not report any such event to authorities: Payers & Providers: Hospital Never Self-Reported Breach A clerical employee was fired from Tri-City Medical Center in San Diego County this week for an alleged breach of patient data…
Hackers hold German hospital data hostage
DW reports that the ransomware problem we’ve seen here and in Australia has also hit German hospitals: It probably came down to a swift response that averted major damage in the Lukas Hospital in Germany’s western city of Neuss. One morning, hospital staff noticed the system wasn’t running smoothly anymore. There were error messages popping…
Jason Pierre-Paul suing ESPN, writer for tweeting medical records
Julia Marsh reports: Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is flagging ESPN and its reporter Adam Schefter for posting his private medical records online to millions of readers. Pierre-Paul, 27, sued ESPN and Schefter in a Florida court Wednesday, citing a violation of his privacy. Read more on NY Post. Okay, this seemed to involve a…