Maryke Penman reports: Overseas hackers have conned three Auckland businesses out of tens of thousands of dollars in an elaborate email scam. The Albany and Devonport-based businesses fell victim to the ruse when placing email orders with Chinese suppliers. Rosedale dive and spearfishing retailer Wettie was targeted when owner Darren Shields placed an order with…
Ca: Windsor obstetrician warns of privacy breach
Dalson Chen reports: A Windsor obstetrician is warning her patients of a possible privacy breach four months after a computer full of sensitive information was stolen from her office. In a public notice that appeared in The Star on Wednesday, Dr. Shobhana Patel said a break-in this summer resulted in the loss of a computer…
Stealth Attack on abortion rights: what you need to know
I realize not everyone will agree with me, but I see the abortion rights issue as a privacy issue and one of the confidential relationship between doctor and patient. The ACLU has posted a great graphic by Jen Sorensen on the stealth attack on abortion rights that I am reproducing here with their permission (click on…
Court Overturns Presuit Patient Authorization Requirement Under Florida Medical Malpractice Statute
Anne C. Foster writes: On September 25, 2013, the Northern District Court of Florida, Tallahassee Division, ruled that Florida Statute § 766.1065 violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) by requiring a plaintiff in a medical malpractice action to deliver a presuit authorization which allows the defending medical professionals to conduct ex…
Ca: Brandon University hacked; learned of breach from hacker (UPDATED)
One of the Brandon University servers was hacked over the Thanksgiving long weekend. Brandon University President Dr. Deborah Poff stated in an email sent to students and administration on the morning of Friday, October 18th that the university had received evidence confirming access by an unauthorized individual of one of the forty servers in the computer…
Your prescription history is their business
Legal, but intrusive and creepy? David Lazarus reports: Think you can keep a medical condition secret from life insurers by paying cash for prescription meds? Think again. A for-profit service called ScriptCheck exists to rat you out regardless of how diligent you are in trying to keep a sensitive matter under wraps. ScriptCheck, offered by…