Wake EMS Computer Missing; Protective Response Measures Under Way

1/28/2008

A Wake County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) laptop computer disappeared from its charging station in the WakeMed Emergency Department on Thursday night, January 17, 2008. Paramedics use laptop computers to create medical reports for download into hospital computer systems when they transport patients to emergency rooms. Exhaustive attempts to locate the missing laptop have proved unsuccessful so far.

"We have no reason to believe that the computer was stolen with any intention of accessing the medical records stored in it," said Wake EMS Chief Skip Kirkwood. The computer was not operating at the time, and security measures make it unlikely that this information will be accessed. However, the agency is in the process of notifying any patients whose medical information might be on the computer's hard drive.

The Panasonic Toughbook laptop computer, model CF29 has silver and black casing and a handle. The Toughbook weighs 8 lbs. and has a Wake County property label with the identification number DP 16096. Anyone having knowledge of the location of this computer is urged to call Jeffrey Hammerstein at (919) 625-3260.

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