One example of misuse of confidential data occurred in Michigan in February 1999. The Metro newspaper released thousands of University of Michigan health system patients personal and medical information over the Internet without their knowledge. The records were on-line for at least two months, but no one knew it until a student stumbled on it. The breach occurred when the hospital tried to work out bugs in a new patient-scheduling system. The company that installed the system needed access so hospital workers put the data on what they thought was a secure server .
All medical information needs to be stored safely.
Access to a person's Social Security number also makes it possible for a person to steal an identity. Patients fear privacy invasion as well as personal injury from mistaken release of names, Social Security numbers, medical conditions, etc. Whatsoever things I see or hear concerning the life of men, in my attendance on the sick or even apart therefrom, which ought not be noised abroad, I will keep silence thereon, counting such things to be as sacred secrets. Florida healthcare facilities should have received the revised Data Acquisition Manual during July. It should be C50.1.