Saint Joseph Health System reports improper disposal of records

Saint Joseph Health System recently discovered some of the records it paid to have securely stored and/or destroyed were improperly dumped in an unsecure location in South Bend, according to a press release from company officials.

The company, Central Files, was hired to destroy certain records and store the remaining records containing sensitive and legally protected information about patients, clients and/or employees.

The affected time periods include:

• Saint Joseph Health System (1999-2013)
• Allied Physicians of Michiana (1995-2007)
• New Avenues (June 2004-December 2015)
• South Bend Medical Foundation (2009-2015)
• Goshen Emergency Physicians, LLC / Elkhart Emergency Physicians, Inc. (2002-2010)
• Michiana Hematology Oncology (2002-2004)
• Cardiology Associates, Inc. (“CAI”) (March 1, 2007-November 30, 2013). CAI and its records were acquired by Beacon Health System in December 2013 and CAI was subsequently dissolved

Records that could be salvaged were taken to another location to be destroyed and the other records were removed from the site and are in the process of being destroyed, officials said.

If you have any questions regarding this incident, please call 855-917-3531, which is a toll-free response line for this incident.

It will be available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Officials say they are unable to identify everyone whose records were improperly dumped. Those whose records were identified as being affected, will receive a letter in the mail.