LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Officials at Lawrence Memorial Hospital are anticipating a federal investigation and possible fine after an online security breach potentially compromised 8,000 patients’ financial information.
The Lawrence Journal World reported that the hospital mailed letters to patients this week.
The problem occurred in September when a company that hosts the hospital’s online bill paying service was doing a system upgrade.
The company apparently left a portal open that contained payment records from 28 patients. That information was accessed by Google, which then cached the page and kept the information public.
Hospital officials also believe that portal provided a way to access a database that contained information on every patient who had used the online bill pay system.
The hospital has shut down its online bill pay service.
