[Update2]Stolen University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics Backup Tapes Contained 2.2 Million Billing Records
Quick Facts
- Date: 6/10/2008
- Institution: University of Utah
- Type of Incident: Theft
- Number Affected: 1,500,000 (Revised)
- Source: ESIhttp://www.adamdodge.com/esi/node/352/edit
- Abstract Source: University Health Care News Release
- Update1 Source: The Salt Lake Tribune
- Update2 Source: The Salt Lake Tribune
Abstract
The University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics is currently notifying 2.2 million patients about the theft of medical billing records. On June 2, a box of backup tapes containing patient and guarantors billing records was stolen out of a car belonging to a contracted independent storage company. The tapes contained the personal information on 2.2 million patients and guarantors including patient names, related demographic information and diagnostic codes. In addition, these records contained the Social Security numbers of 1.3 million patients. The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Service are investigating the theft. According to Lorris Betz, M.D., Ph.D, Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics is taking aggressive steps to protect patient confidentiality including notifying all 2.2 million individual through postal mail, offering one year of free credit monitoring to those whose SSNs were on the tapes and offering a $1,000 reward for the return of the tapes, no questions asked. The University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics has also setup a hotline - 866-581-3599 - and a web site - healthcare.utah.edu/billingrecordstheft - to help answer any questions and provide more information about the theft.
Update1
The University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics has revised the total number of affected individuals to 1.5 million. The revised count takes into account duplicate records and records on deceased individuals. However, the university also removed individuals where there is no valid address for the record. A spokesperson encouraged anyone who is concerned that they might be affected to call the hotline setup by University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics, especially if they do not receive a notification letter by July 1.
Update2
The stolen backup tapes containing 1.5 million University of Utah Hospital and Clinics patient records have been recovered according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. Detail surrounding the recovery are not available at this time but no arrests have been made concerning the theft. Salt Lake County sheriff's Lt. Paul Jaroscak called the investigation in to the theft deep and ongoing.
