Can your doctor's office employees be trusted? Are they staeling your
private information?
Usually you feel alright there, at a doctor=92s office. However,don't be
sure. Much of the information in your file has a market value.
The Palace Guards may be opening credit cars in your name.
Posted in horror stories
You trust your doctor with your life? Don't
Doctors are the third leading cause of death each year in the United
States.
This Journal of the American Medical Association article illuminates
the failure of the U.S. medical system in providing decent medical
care for Americans.
http://www.health-care-reform.net/causedeath.htm
Doctor=92s office employee charged with identity theft, stole patient=92s
social security
numbers
Louisville,Ky. (WHAS11) - It=92s proof that identify theft can strike at
the places where you should feel most safe. Erika Bradford=92s facing
charges of ID theft after allegedly stealing patient=92s social security
numbers at the doctor=92s office where she worked. Bradford then opened
credit cards in the victim=92s names.
We=92ve all filled them out - new patient forms that ask for your
address, your social security number, your birthday and sometimes your
spouse=92s personal information. You trust your doctor with your life;
you=92d think you could trust them with that information. But can you
trust the doctor=92s staff? And what=92s being done to make sure your
identity=92s not stolen during a check-up?
=93Do you ever wonder how you=92re being protected against identity
theft?=94 WHAS11=92s Adrianna Hopkins asked Fred Veatch.
=93Usually you feel alright there, at a doctor=92s office,=94 says Veatch.
=93No I=92ve never given it that much thought to be honest with you,=94
sai=
d
another lady.
=93They=92ve got everything - social security, address, birthdays,
insurance=85 Everything,=94 says Andreana Mills.
=91But if you had any doubts, what would you do? You know what I mean?=94
asked Veatch.
Yes! Because most doctors require that information before they treat
you. But some offices like Deer Park Family doctors realize just how
vulnerable paperwork makes patients.
=93This is what we keep in files,=94 explained Dr. Terry Weiss of Deer
Park Family Doctors who showed us a cabinet full of brochures. =93We use
electronic medical records. We can make sure there are no charts with
patient names on it.=94
=93Who all has access to that database?=94 asked Hopkins.
=93The licensed professionals in the office. We certainly understand
people=92s concern. Many people don=92t want to give their social security
numbers because of the ID theft issue. So we give them makeup numbers.
We have to give them a number though because everything=92s accessed by
numbers now,=94 explained Weiss.
=93That=92s one way you protect against ID theft=85 Any other ways?=94
Hopk=
ins
asked.
=93Yes, we have raised counters to people can=92t see any notes with
patient names on them.=94
=93And you trust everyone in your staff?=94
=93Absolutely=85 Absolutely,=94 said Weiss.
Posted in horror stories, identity theft, lifelock, theft, victims |
Tags: lifelock, identity theft stories, identity theft, identity theft
horror stories, social security number, id theft crimes
http://idtheftblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/doctors-office-employee-charged=
-with-identity-theft-stole-patients-social-security-numbers/
|
