Chellie Mills of KFOR reports that hundreds of folders containing medical records and Social Security Numbers were found at the Norman Recycling Center. The files appear to be associated with two medical practices in the Norman, Oklahoma area: Norman Pediatric Associates and Norman Urology. A lawyer for the latter practice said: Walters says, “They were…
Category: Health Data
Accused hacker granted bond in Houston Healthcare case
Becky Purser follows up on a breach first reported yesterday: A 21-year-old computer consultant accused of hacking into Houston Healthcare’s database was granted a $10,000 conditional bond Thursday in Houston County Superior Court. Christopher Stewart Wheeler of Warner Robins, who is charged with one count of theft by taking, four counts of computer theft and five…
Confidential prisoner records found discarded in dumpster
Sometimes sensitive health information is not in the hands of a HIPAA-covered entity or business associate. When there’s a breach, HIPAA won’t kick in. Here’s a case in point: Karen Velie reports that a homeless couple searching through trash discovered a box of California Men’s Colony (CMC) prisoner files: The files contained the inmates’ past criminal…
Flash drive with Medicaid numbers missing
Mainstream news is all over the breach involving the missing flash drive containing 280,000 Medicaid members’ PHI first reported yesterday. Jane M. Von Bergen follows up on her previous report with reactions from privacy advocates and the silence of the companies involved. Keystone Mercy Health Plan and AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan are jointly owned by…
Singin' the HIPAA Blues in Arkansas
The Associated Press reports: The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences says a digital camera containing photos of newborn babies was apparently stolen out of a nurse’s lab coat. UAMS says the camera had photographs of some babies born at the hospital between July and October. The photos also contained labels with the baby and…
Canadian Medical Journal lashes out at Veterans Affairs over privacy leaks
The Canadian Medical Association Journal has lashed out at Veterans Affairs Canada over the way it handles medical records. The group published an editorial today demanding the federal government take immediate steps to restore confidence in the department after the privacy commissioner found the records of outspoken critic Sean Bruyea were used to smear him….