A prominent children’s hospital in Chicago has terminated an employee who allegedly accessed patients’ medical records “without a business need” for more than a year.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago notified patients Friday that it had discovered an employee accessed certain “medical records without a business reason to do so” between Sept. 10, 2018 and Sept. 22, 2019.
The hospital said it “immediately terminated the employee’s access to all patient information” and launched an investigation.
The information viewed included some patients’ names, addresses, dates of birth and medical information, such as diagnosis, medications, appointment and procedures.
“It is important to note that the employee was not able to see full Social Security numbers, insurance information, or financial account information, and that Lurie Children’s has no reason to suspect that there has been any misuse or further release of patient information associated with this incident,” the hospital said in a statement. “As a result of this investigation, Lurie Children’s addressed this issue in accordance with its disciplinary policies, and the employee no longer works for the hospital.”
The hospital noted it was mailing notification letters to affected patients, encouraging them to review any statements they received from their healthcare provider.
“Lurie Children’s is committed to providing the highest standard of patient care, as well as protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our patients,” the hospital wrote. “The hospital has taken steps to prevent a similar occurrence, including retraining its staff regarding appropriate access to patient records.”
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The hospital set up a dedicated call center for anyone who may have questions on the incident. Patients can call (844) 967-1238 between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or check Lurie Children’s Hospital’s website for more.
