[Med-privacy] Kaiser email snafu

[Peter Marshall]

'SENSITIVE' KAISER E-MAILS GO ASTRAY
Issue: Privacy

Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest health insurers, said yesterday that
it accidentally compromised the confidentiality of members who used its Web
site by sending 858 e-mail messages to the wrong Kaiser members last week.
Some the emails contained health information deemed 'sensitive.' Some of the
mis-sent messages contained the full names, home phone numbers and medical
account numbers of the Kaiser members, Kaiser spokeswoman Beverly Hayon
said. In total, 19 Kaiser customers received emails intended for others.
Kaiser officials cited "human error" and a "technological glitch" that
occurred Aug. 2 during a Web site upgrade. The Kaiser member site allows
members to fill prescriptions, make appointments and seek medical advice by
e-mail. Anna-Lisa Silvestre, director of the Web site, said company
officials have attempted to phone each of the members whose e-mails were
misdirected. Last night, 687 members had been reached, she said. "We
apologized to every single person we called," she said. About 250,000
customers nationwide use the "members only" section of Kaiser's Web site,
which requires a personal identification number and account number to enter.

[SOURCE: Washington Post (E1), AUTHOR: Bill Brubaker]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64768-2000Aug9.html)