Two more hospitals admit to controversial outsourcing
A day after the Irish Examiner revealed the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) in Cork city has employed UScribe since 2005, Galway University Hospital (GUH) and Peamont Hospital in Dublin confirmed they have also availed of the service.
In separate statements, Peamont said it has out-sourced the transcription of medical reports to UScribe since 2005, while GUH said it used the private firm during a six-month cardiology pilot basis in 2004.
However — like MUH — both facilities said they have not found any problem with the service provided.
UScribe is currently at the centre of an investigation by the Data Protection Commissioner and gardaí, which includes the support of the British Information Commissioner and the National Bureau of Investigations in the Philippines.
The inquiry was launched after it emerged that audio files on Tallaght Hospital patients made by doctors and sent to the company to be typed into formal medical notes were the subject of unauthorised access and disclosure.
The audio files, some of which contained patient names, medical history, date of birth and addresses — were sent to the Philippines to be typed up, without the knowledge of patients involved, before being returned to the relevant doctors.
However, not all of this information was returned.
In a letter to consultants, Tallaght Hospital’s acting chief executive John O’Connell also stated that the potential unauthorised access to sensitive patient information is not confined to the Dublin facility.
Meanwhile, at least 110 people have called a helpline set up by Tallaght Hospital in the wake of the unauthorised data breach over concerns their private information — which could potentially be used for fraud or other purposes — was given to third parties.
* The helpline number is 1800-283-059 and is open from 9am to 5pm.
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