MaineHealth expressed regret and blamed the mistake on a computer system glitch.
Letters of condolence and instructions for their next of kin on how to settle their estates were mailed to 531 patients by the non-profit integrated healthcare system that operates throughout Maine and New Hampshire on October 20. This marked the start of the episode.
The letters were accidentally issued due to a glitch in the computer system that generates estate vendor letters, according to MaineHealth.
“MaineHealth sincerely regrets this error and has sent apology letters to all patients who have been affected,”
the company told the Guardian in a statement.
“At no time were these patients listed as deceased in their medical records, and the issue has been fully resolved.”
They were shaken, however, according to some patients who received the letters. The event was "really shocking and upsetting," according to one woman.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told CBS13 that she called MaineHealth to make sure she was well and that she was concerned about what would have happened if her death had been officially reported. She also mentioned that she still owed money to MaineHealth.
A hospital employee “said he was aware of the issue, and that they were going to send out apology letters”, she told the outlet. She added that the hospital employee also told her: “I’m glad to hear that you’re still alive and well.”
The woman added:
“And I’m like, ‘Yeah, me too.’
I’ve had some tests done and my doctor is part of MaineHealth but I haven’t even been in the hospital for anything serious that I could have died from. So I don’t even know where they got that information.”
After a Maine civil jury in October handed a $25 million verdict to a woman whose daughter died of leukemia after being mistakenly diagnosed with a separate ailment connected to men who use steroids, news of the death letter incident spread. The woman filed a negligence lawsuit against Mid Coast Medical Group, which is owned by MaineHealth, following the death of her daughter.
Which patients were affected and how were they notified?
The 531 living cases affected by the condolence letter error from MaineHealth were notified originally through the incorrect letters themselves, which informed them they had failed. Once the error was linked, MaineHealth transferred follow- up reason letters to all affected individuals to clarify the mistake and give consolation.
Healthcare associations generally have legal scores under laws like HIPAA to notify cases directly and instantly in case of breaches or crimes involving their particular health information. announcement generally occurs in writing via first- class correspondence, icing clear communication about what happened, the types of information involved, and steps the cases can take to cover themselves.
Because this incident directly impacted further than 500 individualities, MaineHealth would also be needed to notify applicable civil authorities including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and original media outlets serving the affected areas without overdue detention.