Eduard F. Goodman, J.D., LL.M., CIPP writes: You may not be aware of this, but medical-related fraud and identity theft are growing problems in America. With the exploding cost of healthcare, increasing bureaucratic administrative healthcare systems, and a large, aging Baby Boomer population requiring increased medical care, it would seem that we are entering into…
Category: Health Data
Mass. Eye and Ear Alerts Patients to Data Breach
On Nov. 30, 2009 the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary discovered that a patient’s credit card had been inappropriately used on Nov. 11 and 12 by a Mass. Eye and Ear employee. Mass. Eye and Ear conducted an investigation and determined that two employees were involved, both of whom were terminated. We reported this situation…
FL: Two DCF employees and third woman charged with defrauding Palm Beach dementia patient
Eliot Kleinberg reports: Two Department of Children and Families employees and a third woman systematically drained $20,000 from the bank account of a woman who was suffering from dementia, going so far as to pose as her should financial institutions call to verify a withdrawal, Palm Beach police alleged today. The thefts occurred while the…
Providence Health Plans glitch exposes personal data
Mike Benner and KGW.com Staff report: PORTLAND, Ore. — Providence Health Plans is re-issuing thousands of insurance cards after personal information was accidentally sent to the wrong policy-holders. Officials with Providence Health Plans say about 4,500 mailings were sent out with the incorrect group and member ID numbers, meaning that some policy holders received others’…
Ie: Hospital keeps secret DNA file
Mark Tighe reports: A Dublin hospital has built a database containing the DNA of almost every person born in the country since 1984 without their knowledge in an apparent breach of data protection laws. The in Temple Street is under investigation by the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) since The Sunday Times discovered it has a…
Opinion: Administration's shortcomings are not those of WDH
The editors of Foster’s Daily Democrat have an opinion piece in today’s paper that lauds Wentworth-Douglass Hospital for its fine medical care. Perhaps they’ve gotten some flak over their coverage over the breach and allegations of a cover-up. At the end, however, they write: So it is we admire the progress in medicine and surgery….