GMH data breached in stolen laptop

By Laura Matthews
Pacific Daily News
November 17, 2009

The Guam Memorial Hospital suffered an information breach when a laptop containing unsecured health information was stolen in late October.

It wasn't until late last week that they found out the machine contained a file with personal information for approximately 2,000 employees, volunteers, contractors and physicians.

Their names, the date of their last physical examinations and their vaccination, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis B statuses were contained in the machine, which was being used by the GMH Employee Health Office.

"No patients were affected, only the people seen by the Employee Health Office," said Connor Murphy, the hospital's spokesman. "No social security numbers, addresses, dates of birth or financial information was breached. From the feedback I am getting, this is what people are most worried about."

The machine wasn't password-protected.