Data Breach News

Personal Medical Records Missing

April 07, 2010

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. Hospital Hard Drive Missing -

Providence and Providence Park Hospitals have sent a letter to patients, notifying them about a hard drive that was either lost or stolen in February. Officials say they have determined that it held the names, "medical record numbers and/or clinical information" of a number of patients. It also held proprietary business information and the addresses and phone numbers of some employees.

Hospital officials say employees at Providence Hospital in Southfield discovered the hard drive was missing from a locked office suite on February 9. It was later determined that the hard drive was either lost or stolen sometime between February 4 and February 5.

Since the hard drive went missing, hospital officials have been working to recover it and to determine what patient information may have been included on the drive. However, officials say they have found no evidence the information was compromised, adding that they have found no evidence that the hard drive was accessed or that the information on it was used for fraudulent purposes.

To be safe, officials say, they are providing more specific information to patients whose information may have been on the drive. They have also launched a review of all policies and procedures about the handling of external drives and other portable electronic devices.

Source: ABC Action News WXYZ Detroit