Bay Area Pain Medical Associates issues notification related to security, protection of medical records

To all past and current patients of Bay Area Pain Medical Associates:

On May 19, 2014, the medical office of Bay Area Pain Medical Associates was broken into and many items were stolen including three desktop computers. Upon discovery the following day, the Sausalito Police Department was immediately notified and a formal police report was filed.

Although all medical records were encrypted and inaccessible, we believe one Excel spreadsheet containing approximately 2,780 patient names and years of service may have been available. Specifically, that document only contained a patient's first and last name, and the years the patient was seen in our practice (for example, 2008 - 2010). Significantly and fortunately, no social security numbers, dates of birth, financial information, contact information nor medical conditions were listed.

Please be assured that we have taken every step necessary to address the incident and have changed the security on that document. Though there does not appear to be any risk for identity theft, any patient can call the three major credit agencies and place a 90-day fraud alert. If so desired, their contact information is: Equifax (800-525-6285), Experian (888-397-3742), and TransUnion (800-680-7289). Any patient is also entitled to a free credit report every year from each of these agencies at www.annualcreditreport.com.

As an extension of our care, we are also providing patients with AllClearID, which requires no action on their behalf to be protected. If a problem arises, simply call 1-877-579-2269 and a dedicated AllClearID investigator will assist you with any credit or financial concerns, and ensure your identity is returned to its proper condition upon confirmation you were seen in our offices. AllClearID maintains an A+ rating at the Better Business Bureau.

Again, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. We understand how important confidentiality and trust is to our physician-patient relationship. Please feel free to contact 1-877-579-2269 to discuss any concerns or questions you may have.

SOURCE Bay Area Pain Medical Associates