DH reports incident of loss of patient data
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According to a preliminary enquiry by the DH, an appointment book of Li Po Chun Dental Clinic was found missing on April 25. It is believed that the appointment book bears dental appointment information on about 383 patients of a treatment room from January to June 2015, including names and dates of appointment. Some entries may contain patients' Hong Kong Identity Card numbers and dates of birth.
Investigation is ongoing to locate the appointment book and find out the exact cause of the incident. The DH will also examine if the clinic has followed the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD)'s guidelines in the safekeeping of information. The DH will contact the patients involved to alert them to the incident.
The DH has reported the incident to the PCPD and the Police.
"We extended apologies to those patients affected for the inconvenience caused. The DH is very concerned about the incident and will conduct a thorough investigation with a view to avoiding recurrence of similar incidents. We have also stepped up efforts in reminding staff members of the importance of protection of personal data and privacy," a DH spokesman said.
Ends/Thursday, May 2, 2019
Issued at HKT 18:30
Issued at HKT 18:30
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