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Lost, stolen computer equipment put Indian Health Service patients at risk
EHR Connection, August 11, 2008
Computers with sensitive medical information are among 5,000 items lost or stolen nationally by the federal Indian Health Service (IHS), The Washington Post reported July 22.
The value of the items missing from the agency’s headquarters and 12 regional offices is approximately $15.8 million, according to the article. The investigation began when a whistleblower alleged widespread discrepancies in the agency’s inventory.
Investigators found a number of “egregious” errors, including:
- $700,000 worth of IT equipment damaged by bat dung,
- A yard sale during which 17 computers were given away for free, and
- The theft of a laptop computer containing personal details about 849 uranium miners from a New Mexico hospital.
Click here to read The Washington Post article.
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