Ever try to get copies of your medical records? Maybe it takes a week. Maybe it costs a small fortune. You can forget about them sending them to you, or even to another doctor. In most cases you’ll have to pick them up and deliver them yourself.
Well, patients from Baptist Medical Center in Montgomery, AL have found an easier, cheaper way to obtain their records: they just go to their local landfill.
Terri Neill and Ricky Holmes first discovered patient folders in and around a garbage truck in front of Cramton Bowl, a sports arena. The folders contained records from the radiology department at Baptist Medical Center, including X-Rays, MRIs ultrasounds—even surgical reports and doctors’ notes.
WFSA reporters then went to the city dump where they found hundreds more medical records that included patients’ names, Social Security numbers and insurance account numbers as well as other personally identifying information.
People whose personal identifying information or medical insurance account information is exposed are place in great jeopardy of becoming identity theft victims. Medical identity theft presents an even greater risk because when stolen insurance information is used erroneous and potentially fatal medical information can be interjected into the victims’ medical records.
Baptist Medical Center uses an outside vendor to dispose of medical records, so it’s unclear who’s responsible for the breach of federal law. A spokesman for the hospital said they will investigate
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