Statement Regarding Theft of Laptop Computer at Mount Sinai Beth Israel
On August 8, 2014, a password-protected, personal laptop computer was stolen from a staff room on the premises of Mount Sinai Beth Israel. While the laptop was password-protected, its contents were not encrypted. Stored on the laptop were emails from an OB / GYN physician’s Mount Sinai Beth Israel email account that contained information on approximately 10,790 patients, including patient names, dates of birth, medical record numbers, dates of service, procedure codes and description of procedures, as well as clinical information about the care the patients received. Patient Social Security numbers, insurance information, addresses or telephone numbers were not stored on the laptop.
The theft of the device was reported to the New York City Police Department; additionally, Mount Sinai Beth Israel reported the incident to the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Mount Sinai Beth Israel has taken additional steps to enhance security at the Hospital with respect to safekeeping of personal property, including but not limited to installing additional door locks and security cameras; Mount Sinai Beth Israel has also initiated additional measures to further educate staff regarding Mount Sinai’s policies on data security.
Letters notifying affected patients were mailed on October 2, 2014. Patients and immediate families with any questions or concerns may call (212) 523-2162.
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with 48,000 employees working across seven hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 research and clinical labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.
Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 10 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report's® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2025-2026.
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