Hospital Discourage Laptop Use For Patient Records

Laptop computers are a convenient way for doctors to have information at their fingertips, but security and privacy invasions are becoming a problem.

Ontario's Privacy Commissioner has implemented new data security rules after a laptop computer was stolen from a minivan earlier in the year. Information of more than 2,900 patients - such as their names, patient numbers and medical conditions - were on the computer and are now missing.

In order to ensure patient security and privacy doctors have been advised against using laptops for patient information. Doctors can use laptops for patient information but must download the information off the computer and on to a locked CD to ensure patient security and confidentiality.

Doctors are also being educated about using memory cards and other storage devices for information.

Patient information is to stay behind closed doors.

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