Ridgewood, NJ hospital improperly tossed post-COVID test patient instructions
RIDGEWOOD — The Valley Hospital, the nonprofit medical facility at the center of Valley Health System in the Bergen County area, is providing information to patients in the event they should experience identity theft as a result of a COVID-19 documentation mishap.
A frequently asked questions page maintained by consumer privacy platform IDX said that from June 1 to Sept. 1 of this year, instruction sheets for care following COVID tests that were given to patients at a facility associated with the hospital were discarded without first being shredded.
However, IDX said "based on the limited nature of personal information involved," it did not expect any data to be misused, including for purposes of identity theft.
The information sheets were said to contain patient names, medical record numbers, dates of service, location codes, and names of test administrators.
Test results were not included, IDX said. There is no evidence that any information to date has been misused or attempted to have been used.
The hospital said employees would be trained on proper "disposal and destruction procedures."
All individuals believed to have been affected are being notified by letters that were mailed out Thursday.
Updates, if any are warranted, will be posted at valleyhealth.com.
Patrick Lavery is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.
10 years later — Sandy makes landfall in New Jersey
New Jersey's Most Terrifying Serial Killers
These NJ towns have the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases
More From Beach Radio
