[Dataloss] North Carolina - EMS patient data is stolen

[lyger]

(From June, but not yet mentioned on this list.  Courtesy Beth Givens 
and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse):

http://www.fayettevillenc.com/article?id=235733

Published on Wednesday, June 21, 2006

By Nancy McCleary
Staff writer

A portable computer containing the personal information of more than 
24,000 people was stolen from a Cumberland County ambulance June 8.

The computer contained the information of 24,350 people treated in the 
past year by Cumberland County Emergency Medical Services.

Cape Fear Valley Health System, which operates the EMS, has notified the 
N.C. Attorney General.s Office and mailed letters to the affected people, 
urging them to monitor bank and credit card accounts, said Clinton Weaver, 
a spokesman for the health system.

"We're treating this incident seriously," he said. "We know the importance 
of patient confidentiality, and we're looking at ways to prevent this in 
the future."

[...]