***Elliot Hospital Data Breach***

Four laptop computers were stolen from an employee's car in March. They are now just notifying people. The employee was moving the laptops to a place where they were set to be destroyed. The computers had been scrubbed before they were sent to be destroyed so there was not a lot of information on them. The computers did have emails and spreadsheets that automatically archived that had some patient information on them. There were a little over 1,200 patients who had info on the computer documents.

A spokesperson from the Elliot stated that the only things that were on the documents were patient names, when they had services performed at the Elliot, and billing codes for those services. He stated that there is really nothing to worry about but understands that patients will be upset. They are sending out letters to everyone that was affected by the breach. They are in the processes of setting up a toll-free number that patients can call if they have any questions about the safety of their data or the breach itself.

The Elliot has taken steps to ensure that it's computers do not auto archive documents any longer.

Many companies have policies in place when dealing with work laptops that state that you are not supposed to leave the computer in your car for any reason. There can be a lot of classified information on these computers and with the way people are these days, if they see that there is a computer in the car, they will steal it. Keep your car locked at all times and if you have a computer for work in your car, take it out and bring it with you or bring it home first before you go to run personal errands.

Photo from: www.yourmanchester.com

Source: WMUR