Medical files found in trash

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL — Police on turned up medical files in a trash bin near University Medical Clinics that contained information that could be used to commit identity theft, a police spokesman said Wednesday.

Police determined the files, which contained information including patient names, Social Security numbers, phone numbers and addresses, had been discarded from University Medical Clinics in the 1800 block of Southeast Port St. Lucie Boulevard, said Officer Tom Nichols, police spokesman.

A man identified by Nichols as a high ranking official with the company indicated an employee had thrown the files way.

“A garbage bag full of medical records is not an oversight,” Nichols said.

Dr. Samuel Sadow, CEO of University Medical Clinics, said Wednesday he didn’t think any patient information had been compromised.

“We’re very concerned about it and we’re doing our own internal investigation,” Sadow said.

Nichols said the records were returned to the office.

Nichols said the files initially were found by a woman acting on an anonymous tip that they’d been discarded. That woman then notified police of her discovery.

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