DataBreaches.Net

Haley Chiropractic of Tacoma experienced an office burglary in May that resulted in the theft of three computers containing 6,000 patients’ records. The records included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, diagnosis, and health insurance information. One of the computers held some range and motion test data without other personal information. No financial or…

One of the breaches recently added to HHS’s public breach tool involved PRN Medical Services, LLC, d/b/a Symbius Medical, LLC in Arizona. The incident, which reportedly occurred January 18 and affected 2,200 patients was coded as “Theft, Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, Other” with the location of the data being coded as “Network Server, E-mail.” As has often been the case…

Bert Ovenstone reports: Police are investigating a patient confidentiality breach after hospital notes were found by a member of the public on a pavement in Orkney. NHS Orkney is also continuing its own investigation into the incident. The confidential patient handover notes were found near Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall on July 15. However, despite the…

Paul Leighton reports: A courier for Beverly Hospital last month lost lab request forms for 54 patients that included names, health insurance identification numbers and, in some cases, Social Security numbers. The courier misplaced the forms, which were in a zippered bag along with other records, “somewhere between Beverly and Gloucester,” according to a notification…

Did a law intended to prevent violence and improve safety backfire? Given that state duty to warn laws have always raised concerns about balancing patient privacy and confidentiality with public safety, have the laws backfired by discouraging patients and doctors from addressing what needs to be addressed? One study suggests they may have: Doing Their Duty: An Empirical…