When Identity Theft Can Become Deadly

There was a security breach at UCSF where over six thousand patient records were exposed online. Usually, identity theft is associated with financial loss. However, in the case of medical identity theft, the consequences can be deadly:

“…The consequences of health care data breaches can be significant, said experts. Sensitive information can be used by employers, health insurers and other entities to discriminate. Additionally, thieves can use purloined information to obtain medical treatment and prescription drugs and to file false medical claims.”

link: 6,000 UCSF patients’ data got put online

The health of these patients is at risk. If their medical identity has been compromised, then someone else may be receiving treatment which is tied to the wrong medical record. The consequences can be disastrous.

What is compounding the error of the security breach is the length of time that it took for notification to be given to those patients. The security breach was uncovered in early October. Notification to the patients was not sent out until early April. That is totally unacceptable and behaviour such as this calls for notification legislation. To put patients at risk in such a manner and to withhold crucial information of a data breach should be criminal. It is endangering lives.

Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster: http://flyinghamster.com/

Tags: data breach, privacy, security, medical identity theft, notification, legislation, ucsf