Becker's ASC Review

8 ASC MANAGEMENT Eye Care Surgery Center alerts 2,553 patients about stolen laptop — 6 insights By Angie Stewart B aton Rouge, La.-based Eye Care Surgery Center discovered a laptop potentially storing patient information was stolen, the organization announced. Here are six insights: 1. e ASC became aware of the the Feb. 26 and submitted the breach to HHS April 27. 2. e center mailed notification letters to all 2,553 individuals potentially affected by the incident, including steps they can take to protect their information. It also set up a call center to address concerns and questions about the incident. 3. Eye Care Surgery Center installed an en- hanced multi-camera security system inside and outside the building and encrypted "most portable electronic devices and desk- top computers used for patient care" aer discovering the incident. 4. e center conducted an investigation to determine what information the laptop might have contained and has not found any evidence of attempted or actual misuse of patient information. 5. e center said it couldn't rule out the pos- sibility that patient's names, birthdays and diagnosis information might have been com- promised. Social Security numbers, financial transaction and payment information were not compromised. 6. A notice posted on Eye Care Surgery Center's website does not specify where the laptop was stolen from or when it was stolen. e organization could not be reached for comment at the time of publication. "We take the security of all patient informa- tion very seriously, and want to assure you that we have taken steps to prevent a similar event from occurring in the future," Eye Care Surgery Center said in the notice. n 2 men who scammed Tennessee ASC get prison time, ordered to pay $1.38M: 5 things to know By Laura Dyrda T he two individuals who scammed Johnson City, Tenn.- based Mountain Empire Surgery Center for six years were sentenced to prison and ordered to pay $1.38 million in restitution to the surgery center, according to the Times News. Here are five things to know: 1. Two men — Donald Collins and Charles Turner — scammed Mountain Empire Surgery Center by running a fake company that submitted false invoices and purchase orders to the center. The ASC paid both men around $1.4 million for items it never received. 2. Mr. Collins was an employee of Mountain Empire Surgery Center, starting as a supply clerk in 2000 and becoming the materials manager three years later. He and Mr. Turner created purchase orders, invoices and packing slips to record medical supply and equipment receipts from the company they cre- ated, Turner Distributors. 3. The ASC's management company issued checks for the equipment, which Mr. Collins and Mr. Turner deposited in an account attributed to Turner Distributors. 4. Mr. Turner received a six-month sentence in prison for his role, reduced for assisting in the case and cooperating with the investigation. Mr. Collins was sentenced to 51 months in prison, and both will pay the ASC $1.38 million in restitution. 5. Mountain Empire Surgery Center is a four-operating room ASC focused on orthopedics, pain management and ENT.n Florida ASC administrator accused of stealing equipment to sell on eBay: 5 things to know By Laura Dyrda A former administrator of Melbourne (Fla.) Same Day Surgery is accused of stealing medical equipment and selling it on eBay, according to Spectrum News 13. Here are five things to know: 1. Former administrator Corey Hollmann allegedly stole medical equipment including monitors, imag- ing systems and skin-grafting instruments from the center's owner, Health First, and sold them on eBay. Health First fired Mr. Hollmann after the incident. 2. Mr. Hollmann maintains he was selling equipment that was nearing expiration and planned to purchase new replacements, according to the report. 3. Health First began noticing missing equipment and launched an investigation with their security partners. A forensics officer caught Mr. Hollmann after going undercover to communicate with him on eBay, setting up an equipment purchase. At one point, the two agreed to meet at the ASC to complete the transac- tion, but Mr. Hollmann did not show up. 4. A second undercover officer purchased equipment valued at $25,000 for $150 from Mr. Hollmann. 5. Mr. Hollmann was arrested and released on bail. n

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