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<font size=3>A couple days ago it was reported two laptops containing
medical information were taken in a gunpoint robbery in New Jersey.<br>
Yesterday, it was reported in a Buffalo, NY paper that Mt. St. Mary's
hospital in Lewiston, NY was one hospital that had confidential
information on one of those laptops.<br><br>
--story below:<br><br>
Laptop theft may lead to release of patient data<br>
<a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060217/3026081.asp" eudora="autourl">
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060217/3026081.asp<br><br>
</a>2/17/2006 <br>
<img src="cid:7.0.1.0.2.20060219061458.03d32de0@strikenet.kicks-ass.net.0" width=470 height=10 alt="[]">
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LEWISTON - Personal information may have been released on patients at
Mount St. Mary's Hospital from 2001 to 2004, according to President and
CEO Angelo G. Calbone. <br><br>
Two laptops were stolen recently in an armed robbery in the New Jersey
office of a national consulting firm that was doing work for Mount St.
Mary's. Although there is a suspect in the robbery, the two laptops have
not been found. <br><br>
"This is a pretty routine business practice. We were one of 10
hospitals that had records with this consulting firm. They look at things
like managing files, billing and collections. It's a routine thing that
went haywire," said Fred Caso, Mount St. Mary's director of
community relations. <br><br>
In the robbery, a man's wallet and two laptops were taken. The laptops
are password-protected and the files on the computer also were
password-protected, Caso said. <br><br>
However, he said, the hospital wants to warn people that personal
information, such as date of birth, address and Social Security numbers,
was on the laptops. <br><br>
Calbone is notifying the affected patients of the incident and offering
ways to safeguard themselves, such having credit agencies put a fraud
alert on their accounts. <br><br>
The hospital has established a dedicated phone line to answer questions
from patients. Calls will be taken from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through
Friday at 298-2000. <br><br>
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