Stolen laptops have health information on thousands of patients

Two laptop computers have turned up missing from a 'secure' office owned by the big medical group AHMC in California.

More than 700,000 patients have sensitive information on the laptops.

This *Always* happens.

How do people feel about getting rooked over and over again ?

It's bad enough if you're sick.

Now you have to deal with the thieves too.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Medical information about 729,000 patients has been compromised by the theft of two laptops belonging to a California hospital group, company officials say.

The laptops, owned by AHMC based in the San Gabriel Valley, contained health and personal information about patients treated at six hospitals in the region, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

Officials said the computers were taken Oct. 12 from a sixth-floor office of a "gated and patrolled" medical campus. The theft was discovered Oct. 14 and the date of the theft was determined by examination of video footage, AHMC spokesman Gary Hopkins said.

And OF Course, they tell you to do this

Hospital officials advised patients to put fraud alerts on their credit cards and check credit reports for fraudulent activity.

Stole n laptops have health information on thousands of patients

reply to post by xuenchen


Wasn't it also in California where the IRS walked into a place and took a whole bunch of medical records???

Something is odd about all these medical record slip ups in California. But hey, with Healhcare.gov firing on 1 out of 8 cylinders, I am sure the identity theft we have yet to hear about will make these computers look like a walk in the park!

reply to post by xuenchen

The theft was discovered Oct. 14 and the date of the theft was determined by examination of video footage,

Read more: www.upi.com...

I'd luuv to see that.

seeker1963
reply to post by xuenchen

 

Wasn't it also in California where the IRS walked into a place and took a whole bunch of medical records???

Something is odd about all these medical record slip ups in California. But hey, with Healhcare.gov firing on 1 out of 8 cylinders, I am sure the identity theft we have yet to hear about will make these computers look like a walk in the park!

Yep sure was....

www.abovetopsecret.com...

What a second here...I work for a major health organization here in IA and the laptops themselves should not be a risk. Patient information should not be stored on the hard drive of the computer but on the network. Obviously they would have the capabilities to gain access to the networks but once the laptops are stolen they should be able to block those devices from even being able to login to the network.