Patient data at large

A Connecticut-based medical center fired an employee who misplaced a hard drive that contained the personal information of about 93,500 patients, according to media reports.

An employee of Hartford Hospital, which shares information with MidState Medical Center, transferred patient data to a personal hard drive in order to work from home. The hard drive, which was outside MidState’s computer system, contained patients’ names, addresses, birthdates, Social Security numbers and medical-record numbers.

MidState was notified of the missing hard drive in mid-February and has since conducted an investigation. The hard drive has not been located, and there has yet to be any indication the information has been used. The hospital is sending letters to affected patients promising two years of free identity-protection services.