File with 1,000 patient records taken from office in Winnipeg hospital

WINNIPEG – Police are investigating the theft of a file containing the records of about 1,000 patients from Manitoba’s largest hospital.

The file was taken from a diagnostic imaging office at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre on Oct. 7, said Real Cloutier, vice-president and chief operating officer of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

“I want to assure the public we are doing everything possible to actually recover the file,” Cloutier told a news conference Wednesday.

“We don’t think it was somebody from the public, but … the investigation will determine that.”

The office door had a lock and was presumably locked that day, he said. Only staff would have had keys, he added.

“Unless there have been copies of keys,” said Cloutier.

The lock has since been changed and a supervisor is now the only person with a key to the room. Files are stored in a locked cabinet, Cloutier added.

Letters were mailed out Tuesday to the affected patients, but Cloutier said he doesn’t believe the file was taken for nefarious reasons.

The records contained minimal patient information — names and birth dates, but no home addresses and no medical test results.

“The minimal amount of information would make it suspect as to what purpose it would have,” he said.

“Notwithstanding that, this is a breach.”

Winnipeg police were notified and are looking into the case. Cloutier said a private security company has also been hired to investigate. Both have been given video from surveillance cameras in the building.

Cloutier couldn’t comment on whether any suspects have been identified.

He said the health region still has paper files but is working towards a fully digital file system.