ID theft plague hospitals

fiercehealthcare.com

According to a Februarystudy, 91 percent of small healthcare organizations suffered at least one data breach, with 24 percent of them likely resulting in medical identity theft. That list already is growing as about 100 North Shore University Hospital patients had their identities compromised, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System announced Thursday.
An ongoing investigation has found that an ID theft ring involved about 1,000 victims throughout the Northeast, affecting people outside of North Shore University Hospital.
The health system already informed involved patients of the ID theft. Patients who haven't gotten a letter have not been deemed victims and should not believe their personal information has been improperly accessed, North Shore-LIJ said.
However, more North Shore patients have started coming forward as ID theft victims, only after watching an Eyewitness News report last week. For example, North Shore patient Denise Abdale never received a letter from the hospital and had no idea how her identify was stolen until she saw the report on the North Shore ID theft ring Wednesday night,according to WABC Eyewitness News.

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