Shands at UF sent notification letters to about 12,500 people Monday warning them that a laptop containing their personal and medical information was stolen Jan. 27.
According to a press release from Shands, an employee had uploaded the information onto his home laptop for work-related purposes.
The laptop held information about patients referred to the gastroenterology clinical services department over the last three years.
Included were names, addresses, medical record numbers, and in the case of 650 patients, Social Security numbers, according to the release. It is unclear whether the information was accessed. Shands launched an internal investigation, and the Gainesville Police Department is also investigating the theft.
“We have a fair amount of success ... with other burglaries,” GPD Capt. Ed Book said.
Shands leaders have launched system-wide encryption to prevent similar crime.
Those affected qualify for free credit monitoring. Call 877-740-6995 for more information.
