Stolen Laptop Contains Patient Information

January 29, 2007

by Tracy Crockett

A hospital laptop storing confidential information is missing. The computer was stolen from the Salina Regional Health Center Earlier this month,now, the hospital is warning patients that someone could have access to their name...social security number and patient information.

It happened in an office in the Santa Fe Medical Plaza. That's where a laptop computer containing personal information was stolen.

According to Beth Vinson of Salina Regional "it could be name, history, social security numbers."

Patients of Veridian Behavioral in Salina received a letter notifying them of the potential risk involved.

"We were a little concerned obviously, what we did was we contacted the Salina Police Department immediately since this was a criminal intent," Vinson says.

The letter issued to patients states to protect yourself from fraud you need to order a credit report and establish a fraud alert.

Vinson says "at this point there is no indication that information has been breached, but we just want to be on the safe side, obviously patient privacy is very important to us."

It's also important to the public. Some people say offices should let patients know when their information is being stored on laptops.

Dale Goheen says "storing it laptops does make it a little easier for a dishonest person to steal it."

While some of the patients Ie talked to visiting various doctors in this clinic say they aren't concerned others say they want to know where their records are being stored.

Jennifer Gimeson says "I was scared because something like that is confidential and anybody that got ahold of it could ruin some peoples lives because what was on the laptop."

The hospital agrees.

Vinson says "this is an eyeopener and it's an eyeopener to everyone the new policies are being reviewed, the polices on laptop and our network security our continually upgraded."

Now the hospital just wants the laptop back.

The information is protected by four different password and not connected to the hospitals network.

A two thousand dollar reward is being offered in order to get the laptop back.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 785-825-TIPS.

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