Northwestern Memorial Hospital says former temp worker may have improperly viewed patient records

A former temp agency worker at Northwestern Memorial Hospital may have inappropriately viewed patient records, the hospital said this week.

The hospital said it learned about the incident on Dec. 2 and that the worker, who no longer works at Northwestern, “may have accessed patient medical records without an identified work-related purpose between Oct. 27, 2020, and Dec. 2, 2020.”

An investigation found the worker may have viewed patient names and addresses, as well as detailed treatment information — but not Social Security numbers or patient financial information, the hospital said.

“Northwestern Memorial has no reason to suspect that there has been any re-disclosure of any patient information associated with the incident,” the hospital said in a statement.

The hospital said the worker viewed the records of 682 patients, but it was unclear why. The hospital plans to send letters to patients informing them about the incident.

The hospital recommends patients review recent statements to check for accuracy. Patients with questions should contact Northwestern’s Corporate Compliance and Integrity Department at (312) 926-4800 or send an email to compliance@nm.org.