UCI Medical Center Missing 1,600 Boxes Containing Patient Information
Quick Facts
- Date: 5/11/2007
- Institution: University of California, Irvine Medical Center
- Type of Incident: Loss
- Number Affected: 287
- Source: Pogo Was Right
- Abstract Source: OCRegister
Abstract
The University of California, Irvine Medical Center is contacting patients over missing medical information. In early March, the UCI Medical Center discovered that 1,600 file boxes were missing from an off-campus warehouse. These boxes contained the names, Social Security numbers and medical files of 287 UCI Medical Center patients. Such information is normally held in the warehouse for seven years in accordance with state law and then destroyed. UCI Medical Center has used this warehouse for 12 years, but is working with a company that specializes in document security to remove the rest of documents. UCI Medical Center sent letters to the 287 patients whose information was contained in these files last Monday. Anyone concerned about this incident can contact the California Office of Privacy Protection at 866-785-9663.
