Virginia health system accidentally donates CDs with patient data
An employee at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System accidentally donated compact discs containing protected patient data for children’s art projects, reports Richmond Times-Dispatch.
From January 2012 through mid-October 2014, some of the health system’s out-of-use CDs were donated for children’s art projects. Some of these crafts, including mobiles for small children, have been recovered, VCU CEO John Duval told the newspaper.
About 1,000 medical records were affected by the breach. Data compromised include patients’ full names, medical diagnoses, medication information and Social Security numbers.
A VCU spokeswoman said there is no indication the data were used for fraudulent purposes.
“I would say that what began as a well-intentioned effort by a staff member wanting to help kids with their art projects turned into a serious mistake that we are working very, very hard to remedy,” Duval said, according to the Times-Dispatch.