Laptop computer with patient info stolen from car

Friday, July 1, 2011, Vol. 35, No. 26

GOODLETTSVILLE (AP) — A thief who took a laptop computer from the car of a medical billing company employee got personal information on more than 1,500 patients.

An official of PhyData LLC said there is no indication the information has been accessed or misused, according to The Tennessean. The Goodlettsville company bills patients for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging, Premier Radiology and Anesthesia Services Associates. Most of the patients whose information is in the computer received medical services between January 2009 and December 2010.

Company spokeswoman Joy Sweeney said information that includes names, Social Security numbers, medical record numbers of dates of birth is on the laptop, which was stolen from the trunk of an employee's car on May 7.

PhyData is providing identity theft service to patients whose names are on the laptop.