An employee from Pacific Radiology’s Dunedin Hospital in New Zealand lost a physical paper file that held personal information of 26 breast cancer patients, according to an Otago Daily Times report.
The employee lost the document, which contained patient names, towns, health information and histories. The loss was reported to the police, and all affected patients have been called and received follow-up letters.
Privacy Commissioner John Edwards said he expected more oversight over this sensitive information and “at least” one other health board has made the move to lockable iPads rather than paper files after similar incidents.
"We apologize unreservedly for the loss of this document,” said Chris Fleming, Southern District Health Board chief executive, in the story. "We take patient privacy very seriously and will undertake a full investigation with the aim of preventing a recurrence."
Read the entire story below.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.