Breach
POTENTIAL BREACH OF PATIENT INFORMATION AT MUSKOGEE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Muskogee, Oklahoma – On December 6, 2011, Muskogee Regional Medical Center (the “Hospital”) learned that a binder containing paper forms with flu test results for 2011 was missing from the Hospital’s Laboratory Department. We believe the binder was lost on or about December 5, 2011. The information that was lost involved Hospital inpatients and outpatients receiving flu tests between January 1, 2011 and December 5, 2011. To date, we are unaware that any personal information has been misused by any unauthorized person.
The information contained in the binder included the patient’s full name, internal hospital department and internal account number, gender, medical record number, date of birth and age, date of test, and flu testing results noted as positive or negative. No other health information was contained in the log. No other financial information such as social security number or outstanding balances was contained in the binder.
Once the binder was identified as missing, the Hospital promptly began an investigation and a search of the Hospital’s Laboratory Department and surrounding areas. The binder was not located and remains missing.
To protect against further potential breaches, paper laboratory log books have been discontinued and only electronic logs will be used. In addition, the entire Laboratory Department received additional training on safeguarding patient information.
Patients who have any questions or would like further information should contact Amy Box, Privacy Officer and Director of Health Information Management, at 918-684-3578, or via e-mail at Amy.Box@CapellaHealth.com, or at MRMC, 300 Rockefeller Drive, Muskogee, OK 74401. Additionally, patients may call 1-800-722-9608 and ask for Amy Box, the Hospital’s Privacy Officer. This hotline number will remain in effect for at least 90 days.
This announcement is a substitute notice under the HIPAA notice of breach rules.
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