Stolen laptop impacts Calif. eye patients
Retinal Consultants Medical Group has announced the theft of an unencrypted laptop computer but has not revealed the scope of the breach, including how many patients are affected.
The Sacramento-based organization with 10 offices serving northern California, has issued notifications. The practice learned that the laptop was missing on June 7. The laptop was a component of a diagnostic imaging machine, according to the notification. Protected information on the computer included patient name, date of birth, gender, race and optical coherence tomography images. Addresses, drivers’ license numbers and Social Security numbers were not on the laptop.
Retinal Consultants is increasing internal and external security of its premises and is determining “how we can further secure laptop data,” according to the notice.
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.