NEW YORK COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM HOSPITAL FOUND ON EBAY Democrat & Chronicle: Local News:

Hospital computers stolen, sold on eBay


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(May 10, 2007) — Highland Hospital officials and police say they believe patient information contained on a stolen computer is safe, after the computer was erased and sold over eBay.

Two laptop computers were stolen from a Highland Hospital business office at 175 Corporate Woods Boulevard on April 13. One of those computers contained information on 13,000 former patients, including Social Security numbers. The patients received myriad inpatient and/or outpatient services, said Highland spokesman John Turner.

Turner said desks in the office were rummaged through and petty cash was stolen. Because of the nature of the crime, it’s believed the thieves were out to make a quick profit, and not use the patient information for other means, according to hospital officials.

The computers were sold and shipped to Lakeland, Fla. and Calexico, Calif. The computer from Lakeland has been recovered.

Brighton police say the theft was reported to them on April 16. Letters were sent to patients affected on Tuesday.

Turner said patients who do not get a letter should not worry that their information was on the computer that was stolen.

Highland posted the letter to patients and a Q and A on its Web site at www.highlandhospital.org/alert. Highland has also established an information line at (585) 341-0550 or (866) 917-5043.

“It is extremely unlikely that this information has been accessed or used inappropriately, but we are bringing this incident to your attention so that you and your family can be extra alert to signs of any possible misuse of your information,” the letter states.

Highland said it is investing $200,000 to install encryption software on 2,000 computer devices by Aug. 1.

LSTANFOR@DemocratandChronicle.com