Omnicell, Virginia Port and Rail Legislation

The Medical Record Merry-Go-Round

Did the theft of 56,000 patient records really happen? It doesn’t appear so.  

Sentara posted a news item on its Web site, dated December, 2012, explaining that a laptop with medical records was stolen last November 14 from an employee of Omnicell, which provides “provides automated medication dispensing services” for Sentara.

The data covers the medical records of patients seen by Sentara and its affiliates between October 18 and November 9, 2012.

Omnicell, based in Mountain View, California, notified patients on December 31, six weeks after the incident. Word of the theft hit the press January 2-3.

Omnicell’s Web site doesn’t mention the theft on its front page or what the company plans to do to tighten its security.

Nor has Sentara issued any further missives about the breach.  

Even the market seemed oblivious to the breach, which tells you how much the market really cares about the sloppiness of securing your medical information. 

The company’s share price closed at $15.23 when news of the breach hit the media. That’s down from $15.36 at market close January 2. By close of business Friday, the share price had risen to $15.39.

The breach raises questions about the definition of firms that contract with healthcare providers such as Sentara.

Which healthcare providers are HIPAA covered entities is explained at HealthITsecurity.com.

General Assembly Bills

Del Harry Purkey, R-82, has introduced two port related bills.

The first, HB 1334, would require approval by the General Assembly and the governor for any Virginia port to be sold.

The second, HB, 1824, extends the port tax credit to shippers of agricultural products and to firms involved in extracting gas or minerals and to distributors of the products, beginning this year.

Under current law, manufacturers and distributors of manufactured goods that ship at least 75 net tons of no-containerized cargo or 10 loaded 20-foot shipping units, known as TEUs, through Virginia port facilities. 

The tax credit equals $50 for each TEU above the base year volume shipped through a Virginia port facility.

HB 1828, introduced by Del. Ron Villanueva, R-21, would give the Virginia Dept. of Rail and Public Transportation an ownership stake in land for the construction of rail for public transportation.

Such a move would alleviate traffic congestion on highways, the bill said.

Under the measure, the Virginia Dept. of Rail and Public Transportation would be permitted “to acquire and hold title to the land necessary to construct railway lines in order to reduce traffic congestion on highways and shift traffic to rail transportation.”