Health Information Management

Mayo fires employee for snooping at patient records

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, September 20, 2010

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A healthcare worker was recently fired for snooping at patient records.

Mayo Clinic fired an employee who worked in a business center in Arizona because the person accessed nearly 2,000 patient medical and financial records over a four-year period — just to take a peek, the Post-Bulletin of Rochester, MN, reported Thursday, September 9.

The employee accessed an estimated 1,700 patient records, Mayo spokesman Chris Gade told the Post-Bulletin. The employee’s access rights included all Mayo Clinic patient records at all Mayo sites.

Officials discovered the breach in mid-July. They did not release the name of the healthcare worker.

“This activity took place between 2006 and 2010. An internal investigation was immediately launched. Following a thorough review of the facts, the person was fired,” according to a Mayo statement.

Read the full story on HIPAA Update.



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