The Herts Advertiser is reporting that although West Herts Hospitals Trust was aware that three laptops had been stolen — the first in March 2006, the second in 2007, and the third in February 2008 — it was only last month that the trust learned that they contained personally identifiable patient data. The way the…
Category: Health Data
HK: Privacy push at leak hospitals
Nickkita Lau of The Standard reports: The privacy commission and Hospital Authority have launched a HK$200,000 campaign to protect patients’ details following leaks at public hospitals. The Care for Patients – Protect Their Personal Data campaign is the largest the commission has organized for a specific profession.
UK: Patient data found on hard drives
From the BBC: Medical records, confidential letters and X-rays of patients in Lanarkshire have been found on second-hand computer hard drives. Two disks bought for a study on data security contained sensitive information from Monklands and Hairmyres hospitals. NHS Lanarkshire said the disks were disposed of in 2006 before it improved its data protection procedures….
Ca: Lost BlackBerry had patient data
Beverlyy Ware of The Chronicle Herald reports that 74 continuing care patients in the Bridgewater area are being notified that their name, age, address and doctor’s name and information on their medical conditions and medications were on a BlackBerry that was lost April 12. The BlackBerry was not password-protected.
Bits ‘n Pieces
In the justice system: Nakeshia Brown, a former patient care assistant at Memorial Hermann Hospital, is facing charges of identity theft and bank fraud for allegedly stealing patients’ info to use to open credit cards. More. In 2003, the hospital was also involved in data breach involving a dishonest employee who stole patient information and…
Ohio Heritage Bank replaces cards due to HPY breach (updated)
Heartland Payment Systems may be back in VISA’s good graces as PCI-Compliant, but the impact of the breach continues to emerge. Leonard Hayhurst of Coshocton Tribune reports that Ohio Heritage Bank was alerted over the weekend that 800 debit cards were compromised due to the breach. Of the 800 cards, 15 showed fraudulent charges….