Blythe, Calif.-based Palo Verde Hospital is notifying patients of a data breach that occurred when former administrators of the hospital obtained documents containing patients' health information.
Former administrators of PVH filed a civil lawsuit against the hospital in July 2013. The suit claimed that emergency patients were being illegally steered to a private fixed-wing medical transport company owned by the hospital's board president instead of to the faster helipad and medical transport operated by the healthcare district, jeopardizing the health of patients.
PVH became aware of the data breach in December 2013, when the former administrators' legal counsel produced documents containing patients' health information as evidence to the hospital's counsel, according to a Palo Verde Valley Times report.
"It appears that most of the health information taken by the former administrators is from the approximate time period of 2010 to 2012," said PVH CEO, Sandra Anaya.
It is still not clear how the data breach occurred or the exact number of affected patients, according to the report.
As a result of the security breach, PVH is evaluating its system and procedures relative to maintaining patient privacy.
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