Quick Facts

• Date: 4/16/2008
• Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Type of Incident: Theft
• Number Affected: 17,000
• Source: ESI
• Abstract Source: Daily Yomiuri Online

Abstract
The Nippon Medical School Hospital is working to alert 17,000 patients after a computer containing medical data was discovered missing. The computer contained a decades worth of electrocardiography patient data including names, conditions, test results and patient ID numbers. The computer, one of two in a medical examination room, was moved into a hospital hallway early on April 8th due to crowding. On April 9th, the hospital staff noticed the machine was missing. The missing machine was reported to the hospital's safety control division on April 10th. The safety control division immediately notified the police who are investigating the incident as a theft. An internal probe into the incident found that the machine does not require a password, which is against hospital policy. Officials apologized in a message on the hospital web site and the hospital will send letters to the affected patients.