In a developing story, YWN has learned of an ongoing investigation at Maimonides Medical Center – regarding one or more employees who possibly have been involved in identity theft, and have been arrested.
According to WABC, the two suspects are accused of stealing the personal information of patients and using it to buy various items.
The hospital says that they are fully cooperating with the investigation, and they are in the process of determining how many patients may have been affected by the identity theft. The hospital says they are undertaking a complete review of policies and procedures to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.
Just last month, YWN reported that a man was arrested & charged charged with stealing and selling about 40,000 patients’ personal information while working for the New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
OFFICAL STATEMENT FROM MAIMONIDES MEDICAL CENTER:
MAY 22, 2008
Maimonides Medical Center was informed by the US Postal Inspection Service and NYPD that one or more employees might be involved in identity theft for the purpose of purchasing retail goods. Maimonides officials are fully cooperating with the ongoing law enforcement investigation which has resulted, so far, in the arrest of two employees. We are in the process of determining how many patients may be affected, and will contact each individual by mail. While Maimonides adheres to high standards of computer security according to HIPAA regulations, the Medical Center is undertaking a complete review of policies and procedures to ensure that this does not happen again.
(YWN Desk)
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3 Responses
If you catch anyone posing as the “RagachoversAssistant”, please report him immediately to F.B.I.
Why do we permit doctors and hospitals to have so much personal identifying information in the first place?
i’m not surprised to hear this.
my father in law was in the hospital last year. in the middle of the night he awoke to find a nurse rummaging through the pockets of his pants, which had been left at the side of the bed.