Winnipeg patient health information stolen from nurse's vehicle

A case containing 67 patients' personal health information was stolen from an on-duty nurse's parked vehicle on Jan. 14, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said Tuesday

The records were printed health summaries that includedthe name, health number, address, health conditions and medications of each patient, saidRal Cloutier, the WRHA'schief operating officer.

"On behalf of the Winnipeg health region we apologize to the clients whose health information has been stolen," saidCloutier.

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The nurse was working part-time forthe WRHA's Community Intravenous Program when the data was stolen. It appears she broke the WRHA'srules for handling and storingsensitive documents.

"Our policies are very clear. Client information is not to remain in a car," saidCloutier.Home care workers and nurses frequently travel with patient summaries; however, they are expected to always carry the information with them on their person, he said.

All 67 patients whose information was stole were informed by Jan. 23of the breach, saidCloutier. The WRHA warned them there is a low risk their personal information can be used for identity fraud.

"Our expectation is that someone who took the bag was probably looking for other things, not client information. We're going to make an assumption that information was discardedalong with the bag," saidCloutier.

Each of the patients werenotified of the incident and provided additional contact information should they have any further questions or concerns, said the WRHA in a news release.

The WRHA added it takes patient privacy "very seriously" and all its staff attends obligatory training to protect patient privacy.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has reported the theft to police.

Anydisciplinaryaction taken against the nursewill take into account their history and the extent of the breach, saidCloutier.