The New York Times is reporting this morning that an unnamed employee stole personal data on over 40,000 patients from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The theft “occurred over the past several years and included patients’ names, phone numbers and Social Security numbers.” As we’ve come to grimly expect in these cases, the hospital was made aware of the theft in January, and announced it publicly on Friday after an internal audit. “We obviously deeply regret that this has happened,” said the hospital’s spokeswoman, Ms. Manners. She also said that investigators are “looking into the possibility that the theft could be part of a larger criminal scheme.”
hospital
Hospital Was Filmed Dumping Homeless Paraplegic On Street, Driving Off
By 1.18.08
In February 2007, the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles abandoned Gabino Olvera, a mentally ill paraplegic man, on the street: “[The hospital] took him across town in a van and left him in a soiled hospital gown without a wheelchair in the heart of the city’s homeless area.” Olvera, with the help of an advocacy organization called Public Counsel, is now suing them for neglect and elder abuse (although we’re not sure how the second one applies since he’s only 42). His case is “one of about 50 reported incidents in the past 12 months of sick, confused and homeless patients being left by ambulances” in downtown LA.
Just Because You Have Health Insurance Doesn't Mean Your Bill Won't Be A Million Dollars
By 11.30.07
Here’s a scary thought: What if you have health insurance and still get stuck with a million dollar hospital bill? That’s what happened to Jim Dawson after a staph infection spread throughout his body.
Hospital Sends Debt Collectors After Homeless Man
By 9.11.07
Phil Hughes is a homeless handy-man who’ll paint your house number on your curb for $5 and some turkey leftovers, says Mary Olsen, a homeowner who hires Hughes for occasional odd jobs.
Sucky Hospital Workers Launch Investigation Against Reader
By 10.24.06
Longtime Consumerist reader and commenter AppTechie went through a real horror show after his 3 year old son fractured his arm.
‘LifeCare’ Workers ‘Mercy Kill’ Invalids During Hurricane Katrina, New Info Illuminates
By 2.23.06
during Hurricane Katrina, with specific regard to the seventh floor, leased to the LifeCare hospital management group, of the Memorial Medical Center.
