A significant data breach at a call center in Hartford, Conn. is calling paper records into question. The Access Health CT suffered a dangerous security breach recently where one employee left the premises carrying a bag full of paper documents with hundreds of patients’ names, birthdates, and social security numbers.
Eilene Baylinson of Maximus Health Services, which operates the call center in question, has said that the company is moving toward a “paperless policy”, according to CT News Junkie. She added that the incident has forced the company to act quicker in embracing a more digital-oriented process for the company.
The incident made headlines when Hartford police were called into investigate with the bag full of sensitive documents eventually being retrieved at a local deli. Baylinson explained that the previous office policy ordered employees to shred documents before leaving, a policy that was clearly not adhered to. She added that the company’s investigation is ongoing.
“In our discussions with him he very clearly understood the policies and was very upset and very remorseful. We believe it was just completely a mistake,” she said.
Access Health CT has been criticized over the incident, including remarks from House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, who described “an appalling lack of oversight”.
“We were told by Access Health CT overseers that our proposals for background checks and other safeguards were not needed, that the security situation was in hand,” he said. “Clearly, that was not the case.”
The case has highlighted the dangers of using paper records in a call center office but also the need to enforce stricter policies in the workplace to ensure sensitive information does not leave the premises and potentially fall into the wrong hands.
Edited by Maurice Nagle