The Smith family recently received a letter from their son’shealthcare provider. This particular group practice has treatedSmith’s son for over 6-years. The letter contained the followinginformation:
“On September 8, 2016, we learned that a locked tape storagecabinet containing computer backup tapes was missing. Weimmediately began an investigation and now believe the cabinet wentmissing from our Wilmington facility during remodeling on or aboutAugust 10, 2016. To date, we have been unable to locate the storagecabinet. We believe the cabinet contained three unencrypted backuptapes from a computer system. we stopped using in 2012.No medicalrecords were on the backup takes, but they did contain yourpersonal information as part of your child’s billing information,including your name, address, phone number, insurance information,and Social Security number.”
The Smith family was shocked at the contents of the letter. Theybelieved the facility, well known and respected within the localhealth care community, should have taken better precautions tosafeguard and protect their patients’ information. They were unsureof who, at this point, could have access to their privateidentifiable information.
1. What regulations/laws were violated?
2.What do you think the Smith family should do in response tothis information?
3.What principles/regulations/laws were violated in thiscase?
4.As a physician practice administrator, what would yourresponse to this situation be? What steps would you take to preventthis from happening again? How would you respond to the patientsand families who were affected by this incident?
