Missing laptop has workers', patients' personal data
Published: Thu, Feb. 07, 2008 09:49AM
Modified Thu, Feb. 07, 2008 10:14AM
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closeRALEIGH -- The identity theft risk from a stolen Wake County EMS laptop is far worse than originally estimated and could include personal information about patients, firefighters and paramedics from across the county.
New numbers released today by Wake County place the number at 5,000 people whose personal information -- including Social Security numbers, addresses and ages -- was stored on a laptop that was missing for more than a week in January before county officials reported it stolen to WakeMed hospital police.
This figure includes more than 1,100 patients transported by county EMS ambulances and their contracted first responders -- up from the original estimate of more than 800 patients.
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Worse still, the laptop also included personal information of more than 3,400 EMS and firefighters from across the county -- including Wake County paramedics, contracted ambulance and paramedic outfits and firefighters.
The county has hired a third party consultant to help county employees track down the information.
The EMS laptop went missing from its docking station at WakeMed on Jan. 17.
Wake EMS officials waited eight days to officially report the loss to WakeMed police while conducting an all-out search for the missing computer. Wake EMS uses laptops to streamline diagnostic and billing procedures for patients transported in the county's ambulances.
sam.lagrone@newsobserver.com or (919) 829-4534
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