Private ambulance companies!

[99chevytahoe]

I am not going to say which one, but while listening to a private ambulance company, i heard the give a name, social security number, birth date, and credit card number over the radio. It is good for the patient that i am not an identity thief!

 

[bezking]

Yikes! What would they have needed a CC for anyway?

 

[b7spectra]

Probably for billing and/or for the hospital to cross reference the patient.

 

[Artjirbal1950]

I agree, being careless with customer credit card information could get a company is serious legal trouble.. What are they thinking? It's not that hard to get a secure radio channel, or at least a cell phone for sending the credit card numbers...

 

[hoser147]

If Identity thieves used scanners alot more people would have problems. The info has been out there for years. Yep CC numbers and all. Some PDs still put a persons whole info out over the air. With the onset of digital systems it should be a thing of the past.............Hoser

 

[DiGiTaLD]

In addition to opening the door for identity theft, they are also committing a HIPAA violation by giving out patient information like that over the air. Idiots!

 

[99chevytahoe]

i was thinking the cc numbers would have been for hospital billing....and i know that they have cell phones, because every now and then the dispatcher says "call on nextel"

 

[KB1JHU]

It's amazing what goes out over the air sometimes. I heard a home heating oil delivery co. give a credit card number and customer name out over the air and when giving an assignment to a driver, they told him the check was under the welcome mat.

 

[garys]

In addition to opening the door for identity theft, they are also committing a HIPAA violation by giving out patient information like that over the air. Idiots!

No, they are not. HIPAA does not apply to radio traffic. There is in fact a specific exemption in the regulations. Credit card information is certainly not covered by HIPAA.

Which is not to say that it's not a stupid thing to do. Cell phone, land line, or even fax are more secure means.