« Ind. Law - Pressure for allowing golf carts on public streets continues | Main | Ind. Law - Still more on: "Vanderburgh commissioners pass abortion regulations" »
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Ind. Decisions - Bloomington doctor fined for tossing patient records in open trash bin
A physician who dumped more than a dozen boxes filled with patients' sensitive medical records in the trash has been fined $1,250 by state officials.Dr. J.B. O'Donnell agreed to the fines and promised to post information about the possible security breach on his Web site for 30 days. He also agreed to be more diligent about patients' security in the future and to quickly notify the state attorney general's office if he commits another potential security breach.
"He's done what he needs to do, but if he does this type of thing again he will be in a lot more trouble, and the fines will be much larger," said Elizabeth Sutton, the paralegal with the state office who handled the case. The agreement was filed Aug. 8 in Monroe Circuit Court.
Last October, boxes filled with personal patient records tucked inside manila envelopes were found spilling out of an open-lidded trash bin behind O'Donnell's Bloomington office. The records contained patients' names, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, marital status, birth control methods, places of employment and insurance information.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 20, 2008 08:34 AM
Posted to Ind. Trial Ct. Decisions