Justin Fenton, Scott Dance and Jessica Anderson report on a nightmarish privacy breach for patients and a hospital: A Johns Hopkins gynecologist who was being investigated on allegations that he secretly recorded patients was found dead this morning at his home in Baltimore County, police and hospital officials confirmed. The doctor, identified as Nikita A….
Category: Health Data
Sierra View District Hospital computers possibly compromised
Esther Avila reports: A possible security breach within Sierra View District Hospital’s network system was identified late Wednesday after the hospital’s Information Technology Department observed unusual activity on the network. “At this time we have no indication that patient information has been compromised,” said Ramona Contreras, hospital spokesperson, on Friday. “However, the hospital is working…
Heyman HospiceCare notifies patients after laptop stolen from employee's car
The Rome News-Tribune in Georgia reports: Heyman HospiceCare is offering patients who may have had their personal information on a stolen and still-missing laptop a free one-year membership to a credit monitoring service, according to a news release from Floyd Medical Center. According to the news release: A password-protected laptop was stolen Jan. 4 from…
Ca: West Nile patients told about potential privacy breach
CBC News reports: The Saskatchewan Health Ministry is writing to 58 West Nile virus patients about a potential breach of their private health information. It happened during a health management class in 2005 and 2006 at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology. Up to 140 students in a health information management course were…
Former Pharmacist Sentenced To 25 Months In Prison For Using Patient And Doctor Names To Create Fraudulent Prescriptions
A former pharmacist from Richmond, Kentucky was sentenced in United States District Court yesterday to 25 months in prison followed by one month of supervised release for aggravated identity theft, fraudulently acquiring controlled substances, and wire fraud. Elizabeth A. Smith, age 30, had previously pleaded guilty in United States District Court to a federal Information…
UK: ICO urges more care with personal data as Nursing and Midwifery Council receives £150,000 penalty
The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued a £150,000 civil monetary penalty to the Nursing and Midwifery Council for breaching the Data Protection Act. The council regulates nurses and midwifes. As part of its duties, it conducts “fitness to practice” reviews in cases where there are allegations of misconduct. In that capacity, the council sent three DVDs and other…