Laptop with Hartford Hospital patient info stolen

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- A security breach at Hartford Hospital has officials scrambling after someone stole an un-encrypted laptop with the personal information of nearly 10,000 patients.

The hospital was notified June 26 after an outside vendor doing data analysis informed hospital officials that an employee laptop had been stolen.

LINK: Hospital News Release on Theft

Make matters worse, the information -- like names, addresses, Social Security numbers and sensitive medical information of hospital patients and VNA HealthCare clients -- was un-encrypted.

"We have no evidence to suggest that any personal information has been misused as a result of this incident," the hospital said in a news release.

Still, the hospital has notified the some 10,000 patients whose personal information was on that laptop.

The hospital is also setting up a call center to handle questions and is offering free credit protection.

For more information click on “Notice to Patients” on the Hartford Hospital website ( www.harthosp.org/patientnotice ) or call toll-free at 1-877-615-3785, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Saturday.