The documents included medical histories, Social Security numbers and billing information from an undisclosed number of patients treated at the Turquoise Lodge Hospital, a state-run rehabilitation center specializing in treating pregnant women and parents recovering from drug addiction.
The New Mexico Department of Health, which oversees the facility, provided the following statement to KRQE:
“We take the security and privacy of patient health information very seriously. Turquoise Lodge was in the process of transporting patient records yesterday from the hospital to a secure facility. As soon as we were made aware of the misplaced records, we sent a team out to recover as many documents as possible. We have immediately launched an investigation and will follow all requirements under patient privacy laws to further protect the privacy of all patients and their health information.”
The department plans to contact the affected individuals, according to the report.
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