25,000 patient files found in empty building

Date: 28.02.2019

Responsible body: Helios Clinic

Type of data range: 25,000 patient files found

Around 25,000 former patient files were found in an empty former building of the Buch Clinic. The move to the new building took place in 2001, presumably the files were forgotten. This case is particularly explosive because a former hospital of the GDR State Security is said to have been located on the same site. Because of this, the Berlin data protection commissioner and the police were called in, as well as a federal commissioner for Stasi documents.

Categories of data concerned: Patient files

Legal classification: Subject to registration

Practical tip: Medical documents are subject to a ten to thirty-year retention period and must be kept securely protected. After this period, the documents must be destroyed by a certified waste management company. Those affected must be informed immediately in the event of a data breach.

Country: Berlin, Germany

Fines: Not specified

Source: iinews

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