Medical identity theft affects millions of Americans

This can be a rude awakening for anyone.  It could also be life threatening if as an example you were given the wrong blood type for a transfusion if records were erroneous.  It also creates a good reason for maintaining your own personal health record as well as one kept at the physician's office.  There are many ways other than the computer to secure this information, such as paper items (a case here for less paper as well) in the trash containing patient information. 

If you haven't read the recent articles on TJ Max retailers, they are still digging their way out of the less than adequately secured wireless network that allowed one individual with a notebook to hack thousands of records and sell the identities overseas.  This is also a good case for securing a wireless network with encryption, especially in any medical office and to not use any devices to transport medical data that are not encrypted.  You don't need to be on a computer to have your identity compromised. 

(ST. PETERSBURG, FL) A Colorado man whose name, social security number and address were stolen was billed $44,000 by a hospital for a surgical procedure he never had. Two years later, he's still working to clear his name and credit rating.

Part of the problem, Long says, is that people don't know what medical identity theft is or they don't care much about it. According to the survey, 47.7 percent had never even heard the term before, while only 52 percent agreed that "allowing a family member to use your insurance card to receive medical care," is an example of medical identity theft.

He believes medical identity theft isn't being taken seriously enough, even though "it's the first information crime that could actually jeopardize your life." Part of the problem, he says, is that most people affected by this crime don't even know who targeted them, making it difficult to seek any sort of retribution.

This is a another good source for information regarding identify theft.  As a medical practice, it makes sense to take all precautions to lock down sensitive patient and practice information. 

http://www.worldprivacyforum.org/medidtheft_consumertips.html

Source: Study: Medical identity theft affects millions of Americans