Unrelated police activity uncovers stolen patient data

Beth Walsh | | Health Exec | Cybersecurity

An unrelated drug-related investigation led to the discovery of a list of stolen patient data. 

California-based Sutter Health is notifying nearly 5,000 patients that their personally identifiable information has been stolen. KTVU reported that patient names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, names of employer, work numbers and marital statuses were compromised. Sutter Health officials say the breach could impact patients from its Oakland-based Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Antioch, Calif.-based Delta Medical Center or Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley. 

"We are concerned about this matter and take protecting our patients’ privacy very seriously. At this time we do not know how the information was obtained," according to a notice on the Sutter Health website.  

Sutter Health has experienced data breaches in the past. In 2011, nearly one million of its patients had their protected health information compromised after the theft of an unencrypted company desktop computer. Sutter Health is still facing up to $4.25 billion in class action lawsuits as a result of that breach. Also in 2011, Sutter Gould Medical Foundation lost the paper medical records for 1,200 patients.

Beth Walsh,

Editor

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.

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