Massive Data Loss Affects Nearly Every Doctor in America
Major losses or breaches of personal information are not just for patients anymore: The Chicago Tribune reports that the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association lost sensitive personal information, including, in some cases, social security numbers, of about 800,000 physicians -- nearly all the doctors in the United States. As expected, this data loss came from a stolen laptop. According to the Tribune:
The Chicago-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, a trade group for the nation's Blue Cross health insurance plans, confirmed an employee "broke protocol and transferred to a personal laptop" information that was later stolen in late August.
No patient information was on the database, so concern by consumers having personal health records breached is unwarranted, the association said. And doctors have not reported security breaches.
About 16 to 20 percent of the doctors listed in the database have their Social Security numbers as their medical-care provider identification, putting these health professionals at risk for identity theft.
Despite receiving no reports of identity theft, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is offering credit monitoring services to those providers whose Social Security numbers were exposed.
"Blue Cross warns doctors about stolen identification data," The Chicago Tribute (October 14, 2009).
