Medical Data Might Have Been Sold Online: Chilton Medical Center

POMPTON PLAINS, NJ — A hard driving possibly containing patient data from Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains was sold online, the hospital said in a statement.

Birth dates, medical record numbers, patient names and medications might have been exposed, the hospital said. Social Security numbers and medical records were not affected.

A hospital employee took the hard drive and other devices in October and sold them online, against hospital policy. The hospital is investigating whether the other devices also contained medical data. The employee was fired.

Hospital officials said this only affected certain patients who were seen between May 1, 2008 and Oct. 15, 2017. They said they learned about the incident on Oct. 31, and began notifying patients this week.

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office was notified, hospital officials said.

"This incident is not consistent with Chilton Medical Center's privacy practice, and Chilton Medical Center deeply regrets that this happened. While it has policies in place to protect patient information, Chilton Medical Center has, since this incident, enhanced its processes and controls to help prevent something like this from happening again," the hospital said.

Patients whose data might have been affected have been contacted. Anyone looking for more information can call a special phone number set up at 855-590-2129, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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