Trios Health investigation finds breach of additional 1,000 patient records

Trios Health says an investigation lead to finding a former employee accessed an additional 1,000 patient records without permission.

Officials say an investigation was launched in March and the employee was originally put on leave in May, before being fired. The hospital initially announced that 600 records had been accessed, but said the investigation was continuing. They now say they have finished the case and now know 1,603 records were accessed by an employee over a period of more than three years beginning in October 2013.

The employee could have seen medical information, as well as, driver’s license numbers, social security numbers and addresses.

“We don’t believe that the formal employee would use the information to harm patients, we do feel that there is very little risk of the information being used or disclosed,” said new director of Health Information Management Elizabeth Rice in a previous statement.

The hospital says it is an isolated incident and only one employee was involved. Lisa Teske with Trios says they are “disappointed,” but they are using this as an opportunity to strengthen security measures, as well as, increase employee training on compliance issues.

In the letter sent out June 23, officials say each unauthorized access of a patient records is a violation of the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, as well as, Trios Health policy. Teske adds it will be up to the State Attorney General and Office of Civil Rights if the employee is charged or fined.

Letters were sent out to all the patients whose records were accessed in the breach. They will also be offered free identity protection and credit monitoring service for a year at the hospitals expense. In a statement, officials say any patients concerned about their health records, but who do not receive a notification by certified mail during the week of July 3 or do not have a current mailing address on file with Trios Health, may call the Health Information Management department at 509-221-5720 (option 2), Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.