CALIFORNIA (UPDATE) COMPUTER STOLEN Laptop stolen contained information of 1,000 Santa Cruz patients - San Jose Mercury News:

Laptop stolen contained information of 1,000 Santa Cruz patients

By Sandra Gonzales

Mercury News
Posted: 03/31/2009 09:19:20 PM PDT

A laptop computer recently stolen at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation's Santa Cruz office contained personal and medical information of 1,000 Santa Cruz County patients.

As a result, officials at the Medical Foundation's sent out notices March 23 alerting the patients of the theft that happened about a month ago, said foundation spokesman Mark Riley.

The laptop computer was attached to a neurological piece of equipment when thieves broke into the foundation's office and stole it, Riley said. At the time, the office was closed.

The information on the computer included EMG results, the patients' medical record numbers, treatment plans and diagnoses.

In response to the theft, the foundation has offered its patients free credit and identity fraud monitoring and warned them to contact local authorities if they notice anything suspicious on their credit reports.

Foundation officials also said that it was taking stronger safeguards to prevent any more such thefts, which Santa Cruz County law enforcement is investigating.

Contact Sandra Gonzales at sgonzales@mercurynews.com or 408-920-5778.