A mistake by Florida healthcare regulators may have exposed the personal information of thousands of Northeast Florida patients.The Agency for Health Care Administration accidentally sent inspection records to a landfill, instead of a shredder, last month.
In a notice posted on its website, the health care agency says the records were in boxes marked for shredding, but housekeeping staff threw them away instead.
The records may contain patients’ names, birthdays and Medicaid or Medicare numbers. Anyone who received services at a Northeast Florida nursing home, assisted living facility or home healthcare agency from 2000 to 2007 may be affected.
Specifically, Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Baker, Nassau, Flagler and Volusia counties are mentioned in the notice.
It also says immediate action was taken to improve disposal procedures. The Agency for Health Care Administration declined a phone interview Wednesday.
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