An online security breach at Lawrence Memorial Hospital could result in a federal investigation and possibly a fine. The security breach, which happened in September, may have compromised the financial information of thousands of patients. Hospital spokeswoman Janice Early says the problem occurred when a company that hosts the hospital’s online bill service made a system upgrade. The move apparently left a portal open on the internet that contained patient records – possibly providing access to financial data on every patient who’d ever used the online pay system.
The hospital’s online bill pay service has been shut down and this week, letters were sent to some 8,000 patients who’ve used the system.