Health Information Management

Information for 6,000 patients stolen

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, August 21, 2006

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More than 6,000 patients of Bellingham, WA-based Madrona Medical Group are at risk for identity theft after an employee illegally copied patient information, The Bellingham Herald reports.

Prosecutors say that Timothy R. Kiel, a Madrona employee, downloaded patient records and other data and tried to destroy the evidence in late December 2005 and January 2006. Kiel resigned from Madrona on December 20, 2005, but still connected to the group's network and downloaded information several times using a stolen user account. Kiel will go on trial for computer trespass charges on September 19.

The stolen records include identifiers such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers and dates of birth, according to The Herald. Madrona officials told The Herald that there is no evidence that Kiel used or passed on the information he downloaded.

Click here to read The Herald article.



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