4 Massachusetts Hospitals Investigate Abandoned Patient Records

BOSTON—Thousands of patient health records containing Social Security numbers and sensitive medical diagnoses from four Massachusetts hospitals were found in a public dump.

The documents, which were discovered on July 26 by a Boston Globe photographer, had not been destroyed and included pathology reports with patients’ names, addresses and lab work results, report the Boston Globe.

Officials at the four hospitals and their pathology groups, including Milford, Holyoke, Carney and Milton, said they will notify thousands of patients informing them of the incident. Additionally, the hospitals have contacted the Massachusetts attorney general’s office; the attorney general’s office will review whether or not there has been a data breach.

Furthermore, executives at two of the hospitals said that the former owner of one of their billing companies said he disposed the records in the area where the documents were found.

Hospital personnel believe the discarded records go back two or three years. Officials at Milton Hospital estimate that 8,000 to 12,000 patient records have been compromised; Holyoke officials believe 16,000 to 24,000 records are at risk. Personnel at Milford and Carney are investigating how many patients will possibly be affected.

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Tagged with: Data Breaches

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