Four months after a paper logbook with patient information was discovered missing from a secure area of a clinic at Zuckerberg San Francisco General (ZSFG), the hospital notified patients. A press release issued by ZSFG last week explains that the logbook was discovered missing on December 12 and has not been found. Although there is no evidence of misuse of any data, the hospital is required to notify HHS and affected patients of the incident.
The logbook contained various types of protected health information obtained during an encounter at a ZSFG clinic between January 11, 2022 and December 12, 2023, including some or all of the following information: patient name, date of birth, gender, medical record number, date(s) seen at the clinic, date(s) of collection of specimens, reason(s) for specimen, results of specimen(s) and/or whether a result was received and additional patient health information.
The press release does not reveal how many patients have been notified and the incident has yet to appear on HHS’s public breach tool.
Patients with questions can contact the Privacy Office toll-free number (855) 729-6040 and reference Case #406 in the message.
Update: ZSFG reported the incident to HHS as affecting 755 patients.
