Okla. provider reports potential theft of data on 84,000 patients
The Saint Francis Health System of Tulsa, Okla., has acknowledged a burglary and theft of a computer from a secured information systems room at the Saint Francis Broken Arrow facility in Broken Arrow, Okla. The theft was discovered a few weeks ago; and police were notified and the case is under investigation, according to the notice posted on the provider's website.
“The computer that was stolen was last used in 2004 and contained password protected data including patient billing information and some employee records from Saint Francis Broken Arrow,” the notice stated. “The data contained the names, the social security numbers, addresses and diagnostic information on 84,000 patients who were treated prior to 2004. Currently, an imaging center operates out of the former hospital facility that was burglarized."
The records stored on the stolen equipment represent less than 5 percent of the total number of former patients in our database, according to Saint Francis.
“We have not received any reports of identity theft or misuse of information as a result of this incident. However, we are offering the former patients and employees complimentary participation in an identity theft protection program,” the notice stated. Each patient has received or will receive, in a few days, a letter notifying them of the burglary and a phone number they can call if they have additional questions.
The Oklahoma case follows by several days a reported breach potentially affecting 1.7 million patients and others at two New York City hospitals.
“The computer that was stolen was last used in 2004 and contained password protected data including patient billing information and some employee records from Saint Francis Broken Arrow,” the notice stated. “The data contained the names, the social security numbers, addresses and diagnostic information on 84,000 patients who were treated prior to 2004. Currently, an imaging center operates out of the former hospital facility that was burglarized."
The records stored on the stolen equipment represent less than 5 percent of the total number of former patients in our database, according to Saint Francis.
“We have not received any reports of identity theft or misuse of information as a result of this incident. However, we are offering the former patients and employees complimentary participation in an identity theft protection program,” the notice stated. Each patient has received or will receive, in a few days, a letter notifying them of the burglary and a phone number they can call if they have additional questions.
The Oklahoma case follows by several days a reported breach potentially affecting 1.7 million patients and others at two New York City hospitals.