Shands notifies individuals of information breach
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 1, 2010—Shands HealthCare officials have notified about 12,500 individuals that a Shands-owned laptop computer containing their health and other personal information was stolen last month.
The laptop held information about Shands patients and individuals who were referred over the past three years to the Shands at the University of Florida gastroenterology clinical services department, referred to as the G.I. Clinical Services department. Personal information stored on the laptop may include names, addresses, physician name, medical record numbers and abbreviated medical procedure or condition codes. The laptop also contained the Social Security numbers of about 650 people.
Shands has no evidence to believe that any of the confidential information stored on the computer has been used for fraudulent purposes. However, as a precaution, Shands officials have worked to quickly notify the people whose information was on the computer. Letters have gone out this week providing information and instructions about taking additional protective steps. Shands has also posted a notice on its public Web site Shands.org and has alerted statewide media per state and federal guidelines.
“We very much regret that this happened,” said Shands HealthCare CEO Timothy Goldfarb. “We’re doing all we can to work with and support those affected. We’re also working to reinforce our privacy policies and practices within the organization.”
A Shands employee had downloaded the health information onto an unencrypted Shands-owned laptop at home for work-related purposes. The employee reported the computer stolen on Jan. 27 when the employee’s home was burglarized. The Gainesville Police Department was notified immediately and initiated an investigation into the theft. Shands also immediately launched an internal investigation. The Shands HealthCare Privacy Office has reported this incident in compliance with state and federal regulations.
Shands leaders have since launched a systemwide encryption initiative to better safeguard protected health information stored on Shands-owned computers, laptops and other portable communications devices as well as on employee-owned devices used to support Shands work.
Anyone affected by this event can call the toll-free Shands Support Center at 877-740-6995 for more information.
###
March 1, 2010
Media Contact/PIO: Kim Rose or Kim Faenza
Shands Marketing & Public Relations
(352) 265-0373 or (800) 535-0373