N.B. offers credit check for those at risk from lost health records
Health Minister Mike Murphy is offering credit monitoring services to the 485 New Brunswickers whose confidential medicare information disappeared after being shipped to British Columbia by courier.
"Credit monitoring services provide early detection should anyone attempt to misuse your personal and financial information," Murphy told the legislature on Thursday.
"This includes attempting to open or change a bank account or credit card in your name or changes to your address or other information. We hope providing this information will give peace of mind to those who have been most affected by this situation."
The health records of 485 New Brunswickers and 133 British Columbians were lost after four unencrypted magnetic tapes were sent west in early October. The lost information includes patient names, medicare numbers, ages and sex.
The data was being transferred under an agreement to share information about residents of one province using the health system of another and has affected New Brunswickers who used the other province's health-care system between April and August 2007.
There were also 17 cases where individuals used the health system between October 2006 and March 2007.
Patients will be able to use the credit monitoring service for one year to ensure the early detection of any identity theft attempts.
Murphy said a police investigation has begun, a full review of the incident is being conducted within the department and the ombudsman is also conducting a review.
The department will also no longer be transferring the health records on unencrypted cartridges or in paper form, Murphy said.
Saskatchewan, Quebec, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories all still collect paper health records.
"We are in the process of speaking with the governments, and we'll find out what system they want in place and then we'll go forward," the minister said. "But the purpose of the revision and the review is to determine what's the most secure fashion."
Murphy won't resign
Meanwhilethe Opposition in the legislatureis still calling for Murphy's resignation.
"Your actions, your delay, your incompetence, has broke the trust and confidence of the people in the province of New Brunswick, and that's why we are calling for your resignation," Conservative MLA Bruce Fitch told the legislature.
The cartridges were sent by courier to Richmond, B.C., on Oct. 3. Records show they arrived on Oct. 5, but somehow vanished without getting into the hands of provincial health officials.
New Brunswick health authorities were not informed the records were missing until Oct. 25, and Murphy said the province's director of medicare operations was not told until Nov. 29.
Murphy and the department's assistant deputy minister weren't advised of the situation until Dec. 6.
"The minister has been playing catch-up since he found out about this information," Fitch said.
Murphy has said he won't resign.
The department has been speaking to the individuals whose information has been lost, he said, and there is no evidence that the information is being misused.