LAKE COUNTY — Sutter Lakeside Hospital reported in December that a laptop containing personal information was compromised, having been stolen in late November from the residence of a contractor the hospital had hired to conduct a radiology system upgrade.
In the two months since it was stolen, there has been no indication that any misuse of the information has occurred, according to Marketing and Communications Manager Mitch Proaps. Information included personal and medical data of approximately 45,000 former patients, employees and physicians.
“I can tell you that the theft happened outside of Lake County?the authorities have no leads, but they probably wouldn”t share it with us if they did,” Proaps said.
The 45,000 affected were sent letters, and told to put a fraud alert on their credit and access a free credit check by calling a hotline Sutter set up. “We got a lot of calls on our hotline, it was utilized frequently during the first week, but now it”s being used less and less,” Proaps said. He said the authorities are still recommending Sutter not reveal pertinent information that would link the data with the theft, including location of the contractor”s residence where the laptop was stolen.
“It”s in everyone”s best interest that we keep that information private. If a thief saw the particular city named, and connected it to the incident, it might alert him ?hey, I didn”t just get a laptop, I got the data as well,”” Proaps said.
The good news is that it isn”t likely the thief even knows about the data being on the laptop, according to Proaps. “This was not an attempt at stealing identity. It was the theft of private residence and many other items were stolen along with the laptop. That”s the only reason we want to keep information under wraps,” Proaps said.
After the theft, Sutter cancelled its business with the contractor, but there”s no telling whether he could be hired again at another hospital. “We don”t know what his status is.
He would not get a recommendation from us. He didn”t break any laws, but he blatantly violated hospital policy. Other Sutter hospitals keep in contact with us, so they”re not likely to hire him,” Proaps said.
Contact Elizabeth Wilson at ewilson@record-bee.com.
