The stolen laptop only contained the names and addresses of 160,000 Kaiser patients, not their Social Security numbers. The affected patients therefore face little risk of identity theft. So why is Kaiser making such a fuss? Because in the health care industry the slightest leak of private patient data can spell disaster for a company, analysts at InfoWatch warn.
A laptop computer that contained the addresses of 160,000 Kaiser Permanente patients from North California has been stolen in Oakland. Letters notifying the patients about the theft have already been sent out.
A Kaiser spokesman emphasized that the computer did not contain the patients’ Social Security numbers. Nevertheless, even a leak of addresses and names could cause a number of problems for the patients.
The theft took place in mid-June in one of Kaiser’s regional offices and was reported immediately to the police. The company has also been assisting law enforcers with their investigation.
According to the letter sent out to those affected, “operating the laptop computer requires a unique log-on and password, which makes it more difficult to access the information on the computer.” Kaiser officials are hoping this is sufficient to prevent the thief from accessing the patients’ personal data.
“Medical organizations have just as much sensitive information as banks do. If a data leak in the financial world hits the client’s pocket, then in the health care sphere a leak causes substantial moral damages. Obviously, nobody wants the whole world to know where they are being treated and for what. That is why the people at Kaiser are making such a fuss – their patients aren’t going to fall victim to ID theft, but the firm’s reputation and public standing could be affected,” says Denis Zenkin, marketing director at InfoWatch.
Source: MercuryNews.com
