[Med-privacy] "AIDS Patient List Accidentally Emailed"

[Peter Marshall]

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http://cbsnewyork.com/topstories/topstories_story_051135632.html

CBS 2 - New York News | cbsnewyork.com

AIDS Patient List Accidentally Emailed
	=95 	Email System Quickly Shut Down
	=95 	Officials Believe Only About 10 People Opened Email
Feb 20, 2005 1:52 pm US/Eastern

  A confidential list of 4,500 Palm Beach County residents with AIDS and=20=

2,000 who are HIV positive, including their addresses, was=20
inadvertently emailed to more than 800 county workers, officials said.

Computer technicians quickly shut down the county health department's=20
email system and officials believe only about 10 people opened the=20
email.

Palm Beach County Health Department Director Dr. Jean Malecki has=20
launched a "full and major investigation" into the incident, said=20
spokesman Tim O'Connor. She also asked the state health department's=20
inspector general to conduct an independent inquiry.

Health department statistician John W. "Jack" Nolan sent an e-mail with=20=

his monthly statistics report on Thursday and inadvertently attached a=20=

file with the identities and addresses of AIDS patients and others who=20=

have tested HIV positive, Tim O'Connor said.

Nolan realized his mistake within minutes and contacted the=20
department's computer specialists who shut down the agency's e-mail=20
system for about an hour, O'Connor said. He said they removed all=20
copies of the e-mail from the system.

"We don't know the number of people who opened the attachment, but it=20
appears to our information technology staff that only 10 people opened=20=

the e-mail," O'Connor said. "We have already contacted most of them and=20=

will contact the others Monday."

The Associated Press was unable to contact Nolan Saturday. Two phone=20
listings for John Nolan in Palm Beach County weren't his.

He has been reassigned to directly report to Malecki and assist in her=20=

investigation of the incident, O'Connor said.

=A9 2005 The Associated Press.=20=

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AIDS Patient List Accidentally Emailed

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ia</param><smaller>	=95
	Email System Quickly Shut Down

	=95 	Officials Believe Only About 10 People Opened Email

Feb 20, 2005 1:52 pm US/Eastern


</smaller><bigger> A confidential list of 4,500 Palm Beach County
residents with AIDS and 2,000 who are HIV positive, including their
addresses, was inadvertently emailed to more than 800 county workers,
officials said.=20


Computer technicians quickly shut down the county health department's
email system and officials believe only about 10 people opened the
email.=20


Palm Beach County Health Department Director Dr. Jean Malecki has
launched a "full and major investigation" into the incident, said
spokesman Tim O'Connor. She also asked the state health department's
inspector general to conduct an independent inquiry.=20


Health department statistician John W. "Jack" Nolan sent an e-mail
with his monthly statistics report on Thursday and inadvertently
attached a file with the identities and addresses of AIDS patients and
others who have tested HIV positive, Tim O'Connor said.=20


Nolan realized his mistake within minutes and contacted the
department's computer specialists who shut down the agency's e-mail
system for about an hour, O'Connor said. He said they removed all
copies of the e-mail from the system.=20


"We don't know the number of people who opened the attachment, but it
appears to our information technology staff that only 10 people opened
the e-mail," O'Connor said. "We have already contacted most of them
and will contact the others Monday."=20


The Associated Press was unable to contact Nolan Saturday. Two phone
listings for John Nolan in Palm Beach County weren't his.=20


He has been reassigned to directly report to Malecki and assist in her
investigation of the incident, O'Connor said.


</bigger><smaller>=A9 2005 The Associated Press. </smaller></fontfamily>=

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