The BBC reports that NHS Dumfries and Galloway in south west Scotland improved its security after the loss of two memory sticks carrying patient data in May 2008. It now uses USB devices with built-in security, and is nearing completion on a program to fully encrypt all other portable devices. Patient groups had called for…
Category: Health Data
CO: Health records blowing in the wind
ABC News in Denver reports that confidential patient records from Agape Healthcare in Greenwood Village were found blowing in people’s yards miles away in Aurora. Some of the records were dated earlier this week. Agape Healthcare provides in-home services to those with six months or less to live.
Bits ‘n Pieces
In the justice system: John Shiefer, the Los Angeles computer security consultant who turned thousands of computers into zombies, was sentenced to four years in prison. More. Four Arizona men accused of spending more than $1 million using stolen credit cards are being held in a Maricopa County jail; they allegedly obtained the card numbers…
UK: Hospital sent private patient notes to electrician
Nick Hyde of The Blackpool Gazette reports that Blackpool Victoria Hospital has launched an investigation after sensitive and confidential details of dozens of patients were sent to the home of a Blackpool businessman. This is apparently not the first time this happened, either. The referral forms sent to him last week relate to patients…
OH: St. Rita’s patients warned of possible ID theft
A bag stolen last month from the car of a home-health employee for St. Rita’s Medical Center contained personal and/or medical information on 242 patients, including, in some cases, Social Security numbers. Read more in LimaOhio.com
UK: Health records of Brown and Salmond ‘hacked’
David Leask reports: The health records of Gordon Brown and Alex Salmond were allegedly hacked into, a newspaper claimed last night. The Prime Minister and First Minister are among several high-profile Scots whose confidential files were allegedly accessed without their permission, according to the report. The two leaders’ medical details are on a single database…