Hacker compromises health care records
MILWAUKEE (AP) — A southeastern Wisconsin health care provider says about 43,000 patient records may be at risk because of a computer hacker.
Froedtert Health says a virus allowed access to a staff member’s computer, which compromised patient files that include personal information. Froedtert says there’s no evidence the information has been accessed or misused, but the health provider sent letters to patients this week as a precaution.
The Journal Sentinel says fewer than 3 percent of the files contained Social Security numbers.
The patients were treated Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa; Community Memorial Hospital in Menomonee Falls; St. Joseph’s Hospital near West Bend and Froedtert Health Medical Group, formerly known as Medical Associates of Menomonee Falls and the West Bend Clinic.
Feb 15, 2013 at 9:12 a.m.
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Sorry Joe65, hg is right on. That is EXACTLY what happens way too often.
Feb 15, 2013 at 8:57 a.m.
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This is precisely why I don't want my doctor's office keeping my information in a computer and this is the reason why.
Feb 14, 2013 at 4:10 p.m.
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Froedert is a major health care system, and the fact that this personal information has been released into the cybersphere is very bad news. It can only be misused.
Feb 14, 2013 at 1:55 p.m.
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Really, hg? That's what happened? How do you know this? It seems very unlikely, but you seem to know exactly what happened, so tell us how you know that this was the way it all went down. It seems far likelier that someone may have received an official looking e-mail and opened it, unwittingly unleashing a virus. This is by far the most common way of virus infections in computers. You seem to have a very, very low opinion of working people, believing that they exist only to waste time and act frivolously. How long do you want to spend at the doctor's office? Have you been getting short shrift there? Maybe if the doctor examined you for four or five hours but didn't charge you any more than the do for the 15 minute visit you'd feel a lot better about the whole medical profession? Have you had a lot of critical medical conditions go undiagnosed because the doctor didn't spend enough time examining you? You either know the specific circumstances of this situation and should report it to someone who is in a position to take action against this receptionist or else you are a know-nothing blowhard who wants to express your bitterness about life in the twenty-first century.
Feb 14, 2013 at 1:01 p.m.
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Lets see, A person goes to his/her Doctor's appointment for a post injury checkup. Gets set down in this little room with the door closed. 15 minutes later a nurse comes in and takes this persons vidals. For a total of 5 minutes. 15 minutes after that the Doctor comes in and takes a look at the pre-injured location on this person's body. For again, a total of 5 minutes. Tells this person you are good to go and walks out. Now, at the counter, this person stands there waiting for the lady on the computer who appears to be very busy looking up some records or something. (We can't see the screen) Actually she is on Facebook leaving a message to one of her friends. Or some other website collecting a virus. Now she finally looks up and says,"That will be $175.00 for todays office visit". Now she wants all your insurance information and personal information to enter into this computer that she has been surfing the web on with an open browser collecting whatever virus just happens to be there looking for our information. And they want to revamp the postal service? Perhaps someone should take a closer look at our Medical providers and get that situation under control or God forbid we should get hurt on a Saturday.
Feb 14, 2013 at 9:58 a.m.
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Proof read for gosh sakes...ugh !
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