Hard Drive With Patient Information Missing From Eastern Maine Medical Center

Eastern Maine Medical Center is warning patients that a portable external hard drive with patient information on it has gone missing from its campus on State Street in Bangor.

According to the hospital, the drive, which was last seen on Dec. 19,  was connected to a piece of medical equipment "by a third-party vendor." Hospital officials said they became aware of the missing information on Dec. 22 and have "conducted an extensive search for the drive and continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding its disappearance." But the drive still has not been found.

The hospital said the missing information came from a cardiac imaging computer which was used to store information pertaining to cardiac ablation procedures. The missing information comes from patients that were treated at the center from Jan. 3, 2011 until Dec. 11, 2017, though hospital officials added not all patients receiving that procedure were affected.

According to the hospital, the missing device contained patients':

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Date of service
• Medical record number
• Provider name
• A one-word condition descriptor (like AFIB)
• Procedural images of the heart

The hospital said the device did not include patients’:

• Social Security Number
• Addresses
• Financial data such as credit card or bank information
• Any information relating to any other healthcare services they may have received at Eastern Maine Medical Center

The hospital said it has mailed a letter to all patients involved and have offered free identity theft protection. However, if your address has changed it is possible you may not receive notification. If you have not received notification by February 3, 2018, and believe you may have been affected, please contact the hospital's hotline number at 855-973-8200, lines are open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.