Emily Allen reports: The confidential medical records of 8,000 patients have been stolen in a break-in at a Didcot health centre. Details of the burglary, where the medical notes of every person registered at Oak Tree Health Centre, in Ladygrove, were stolen on an encrypted tape, only emerged this week when patients were sent a…
Category: Health Data
Secretary Leavitt Announces New Principles, Tools to Protect Privacy, Encourage More Effective Use of Patient Information to Improve Care
An HHS press release from Dec. 15: The growing computerization, exchange and analysis of patient data offer the potential to improve the quality of care and reduce costs and medical errors, but those benefits won’t be fully realized until privacy concerns are effectively addressed, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said today. In a keynote address…
Your Privacy Is Protected Only if You Are Really Sick
Saul Hansell has an interesting blog in the NY Times today: The advertising trade group that proposed that people with cancer deserve more privacy protections than those with heart disease has adopted a new version of its guidelines for how ad networks use data about Internet users. It is no longer trying to distinguish between…
NH agency releases client data
The Associated Press is reporting: The New Hampshire health department mistakenly released 9,300 names and Social Security numbers of Medicare recipients. In letters to clients and service providers obtained by The Associated Press, the department says it is taking steps to make sure no information was used illegally. But the department is urging clients to…
TN: Identity thefts linked to St. Francis Hospital
Hank Dudding reports: Federal and local authorities are investigating an identity-theft case that appears to have originated at Saint Francis Hospital and may involve hundreds of victims. U.S. postal inspector Katrina Chalmers confirmed Monday that the postal service is investigating the case, but she wouldn’t release any further details. […] Broadway was reluctant to discuss…
IL: Hospital worker accesses private records
Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn confirms it has fired an employee who improperly accessed private health records. The hospital has sent letters to 350 patients saying the unauthorized former worker looked at records that included addresses and social security numbers. The hospital says there’s no indication that any patient information was used but…