UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA MEDICAL CENTER DATA LOSS
A large hospital announced a major data loss. The University of Virginia Medical Center discovered patient data recorded by the hospital is missing. Last Friday, the hospital began to notify patients whose information was lost. The hospital established a call center for patients to call for more information about the data loss.
The patient information was recorded on a handheld device used by pharmacists at Continuum Home Infusion. The device was lost some time in early October. The patients affected by the data loss received services from Continuum Home Infusion. the data loss may also include patients who were referred to Continuum Home Infusion from August 2007 through September 2012, but did not receive services.
The lost personal identifying information may include patients’ names, addresses, diagnoses and medications, along with some Social Security numbers, according to hospital officials. Just like other data loss incidents covered by our firm, “Hospital officials don’t believe the information has been accessed.”
Our firm represents the victims of data breaches and data losses. Personal identifying information is a commodity. Your personal information can be sold just like illegal drugs on the street. Companies and government agencies have a duty to protect your personal identifying information. If your personal information is taken or lost, you may be at risk for identity theft for the rest of your life.
What is a data breach? A data breach occurs when electronic information is taken without authorization, or an otherwise legal purpose. For example, a data breach occurs when a hacker accesses a computer network and downloads personal identifying information. Another example of a data breach is when an employee, without authorization, accesses customers/patients’ personal identifying information or financial information for an unlawful purpose.
Have you received a data breach or data loss notification letter? Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumers have the right to get their credit reports from consumer reporting agencies due to fraud or identity theft. Consumers also have the right to dispute, for free, any incorrect information on their credit reports. The FCRA provides consumers with a private cause of action if the credit reporting agencies violate the law.
Before you sign any papers or sign up for credit monitoring, you should contact a data security attorney to discuss your rights. Contact data security attorney Micah Adkins at 1-800-263-9091 24/7 for a free case review. Or, use the contact form below.
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