HHS has announced a settlement with St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center (SEMC) that relates to two potential HIPAA violations – neither of which have been reported previously on this site or PHIprivacy.net and neither of which appear on HHS’s public breach tool: St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center has agreed to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability…
Category: Exposure
Howard University Hospital patients received letters meant for others
Julie Zauzmer reports: More than 1,400 Howard University Hospital patients accidentally received letters intended for other patients with the same last names, the university disclosed on Friday. The letters contained only the patients’ names, their account numbers and the dates that they visited Howard University doctors, not any other personal information, the university said in…
Army National Guard announces data breach; establishes call center
From their press release: Former and current members of the Army National Guard could be affected by a breach of personal information, Guard officials said today. This incident is unrelated to the breach of federal civilian employee personal information reported last week and on Thursday by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), officials confirmed. “All…
Ca: Mailing error in Newfoundland and Labrador reported to privacy commissioner
The Canadian Press reports: Six beneficiaries in Newfoundland and Labrador’s prescription drug program have received letters from the Department of Health and Community Services that were intended for someone else. The government says it has contacted the six people affected by telephone. The six letters are from 21,000 mailings sent on June 29 extending beneficiaries’…
AU: Asylum-seeker victim of government privacy breach fears being murdered by the Taliban
Nicole Hasham reports: He was threatened with beheading by the Taliban after immigration officials leaked his private details online, and now asylum seeker Nadir Sadiqi fears he will be sent home to certain death in Afghanistan. Mr Sadiqi was among 10,000 asylum seekers – about one third of those held in Australia at the time…
UK: Address mistake causes data breach
James Illingworth reports: An investigation has been launched after a Wigan resident was sent confidential tax documents due to a civil service mix-up. Barron Roberts raised the alarm after receiving the bundle containing a dozen forms with personal information relating to borough households through the post this week. Read more on Wigan Today. The Department for…