Home care worker's stolen bag contained clients' private health information

The private health information of dozens of clients has been breached after a bag belonging to a home care worker was stolen, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority says.

The theft happened March 26 when the worker was in the process of returning the documents to her office for shredding, a WRHA news release says.

She left the bag briefly unattended in her vehicle to go into her home and get something she'd forgotten. The bag and its contents remain unaccounted for, the health authority said.

The information in the documents included the employee's daily schedule of activities and personal health information for her clients — names, dates of birth, telephone numbers, addresses and information about health services being provided to the clients.

The information of 58 clients has been affected.

"We are in the process of advising the affected individuals directly, including providing information about the breach and advice for preventing fraud and identity theft," the release said.

"The home care program does not maintain any financial information for clients. All affected individuals will receive a letter in the mail. Unaffected individuals will not receive any communication."

An internal investigation is being done to determine whether the employee broke any WRHA protocols and to ensure steps are taken to prevent any similar future breaches.

"We have training, policies, rules and supports in place for all health professionals delivering services within the WRHA that are meant to prevent a breach such as this," the news release says.

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