Fairview Reports Missing Medical Records For 1,200 Patients

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Fairview Health Services announced Wednesday that it is scrambling to locate a missing box that contains medical records for about 1,200 patients.

In a February 2011 relocation of the Fairview Financial Securing Center, the box from Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina was packed and secured for transport to the new location. Soon after the relocation, however, the box was reported missing.

Fairview said the box contains reports that include a hospital billing number, patient name, birth date, admission date, insurance company group number and member identification number, admitting diagnosis or procedure and physician information.

All of the affected patients have been notified by Fairview in writing and they are all receiving identification protection services. Fairview said that there is no evidence that any information has been accessed or misused.

"Fairview takes this incident very seriously," Fairview said in a statement. "We are committed to ensuring the privacy and security of our patients' health information. We will continue to investigate this incident, review our processes and make improvements where appropriate. If the misplaced information is located, affected individuals will be notified as soon as possible."