Medical Staff

Boston hospital faxed patient information to bank for six months

Executive Briefings Digest, March 28, 2006

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Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital mistakenly faxed patient data to a local investment bank regularly for six months, exposing the data of approximately 30 patients, The Boston Herald reports.

Beginning in September 2005 and until February 2006, the hospital faxed the bank sensitive information about women who had recently given birth. The information included Social Security numbers, birth dates, home addresses, hospital room numbers, and health insurance data, according to The Herald. The bank shredded the faxes upon receipt. Bank employees said they repeatedly contacted hospital employees who assured them that the faxes would stop.

"Brigham and Women's Hospital considers this a serious matter and is now conducting its own internal investigation," the hospital said in a statement to The Herald. "The hospital has identified the error and has taken immediate steps to correct the situation."

Source: Briefings on HIPAA



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