Eugene, Ore.-based Lane County Health and Human Services on July 24 notified about 700 patients and clients that their medical records, which were moved to a storage facility during renovation efforts last fall, cannot be found, according to Kezi.com.
The department misplaced 49 boxes containing 566 Community Health Centers of Lane County patient files and 149 Lane County Developmental Disabilities client files, which contained individuals' medical histories, addresses, contact information and social security numbers.
On June 19, staff conducted a routine search and were unable to locate the records, which a moving company temporarily transferred to a storage facility during a renovation of the department's main clinic last fall. Several different teams conducted follow-up searches for the files, but did not find them.
Investigators have not determined how the records were misplaced, but said there is no indication the records were stolen or that the health information was compromised, according to the report.
Department officials believe the records could have been destroyed as part of a routine document management practice for nonmedical records, although they have not verified this claim.
Lane County Health and Human Services is reviewing its record storage practices and taking all necessary steps to prevent future incidents, including getting specialized secure medical record storage services. The department encourages patients to review their financial statements and credit reports and is reimbursing them for a six-month membership to any credit monitoring service.
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