A laptop computer containing the electronic protected health information (ePHI) of 28,893 individuals was stolen from the home of one of the covered entity’s (CE) employee’s during a burglary. The ePHI included names, addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, medical record numbers, plan beneficiary numbers, and clinical information. The CE, Gibson General Hospital, provided breach notification to HHS, affected individuals, and the media, as well as substitute notice. Following the breach, the CE offered one year of free credit monitoring services to affected individuals. The CE also improved safeguards by encrypting all its laptop computers. As a result of OCR’s investigation, the CE implemented new security policies and procedures related to safeguarding ePHI.
