It’s bad enough when a patient’s identity is stolen for purposes of obtaining medical care. But what about when someone steals a doctor’s identity to practice surgery? Mitya Underwood reports from Dubai: The plastic surgeon whose identity was stolen by a disgraced doctor has likened the experience to watching “a very bad movie”. Dr Steven…
Patients, politics don't mix, foe says
Zack McMillin reports: The letter arrived in mailboxes from a woman who has cultivated respect in Memphis and around the country for her work treating women with breast cancer, saving lives and easing suffering with innovative approaches to treatment. Dr. Christine Mroz wrote about her husband Joe Baier’s campaign to join the Shelby County Board…
Za: Patient records still available
A healthcare sector breach out of South Africa. Andrew Stone reports: Health authorities were scrambling yesterday to find out how thousands of confidential patient records ended up being freely available on the Internet. A team of 20 investigators from both the Eastern Cape and Western Cape Health departments have been tasked to find out how…
UK: Tax records ‘sold to junk mail firms’
Andrew Alderson reports: Experts fear that HM Revenue & Customs has been hit by another security breach, less than three years after it lost the details of 25 million taxpayers. Demands for an investigation come after a woman from Bedfordshire received direct mail using an incorrect surname that only appeared on an HMRC database. One…
Ca: Foundations can appeal to donors via privacy law
Some people are not too happy about some of the recent changes to PHIA that would give charitable and research foundations your information so they could solicit funds from you. A change to medical privacy laws designed to help patients and families get better access to medical records will also help hospital foundations get better…
Insurer rejects claims related to stolen U. medical records
Brian Maffly reports: A Colorado insurance company contends it is not obligated to cover astronomical costs incurred by the University of Utah in 2008 after car burglars stole medical billings records filed with sensitive personal information on 1.7 million patients. U. officials want Perpetual Storage to reimburse the university more than $3.3 million. That’s how…