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Patients' medical records land in man's mailbox

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The private information delivered to the wrong address included copies of driver's licenses, surgery records, and Social Security numbers

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By SAMARA SODOS | News Channel 8

Published: October 28, 2009

PINELLAS PARK - Wait a minute, Mr. Postman!

That's all Philip Fortuna could think as he opened his mail Wednesday morning and gazed in confusion at the contents of a package sent to his Pinellas Park home from the U.S. Postal Service.

The bill on the top was addressed to him, but underneath was a stack of medical records of more than 70 people. The private information included copies of driver's licenses, surgery records, and Social Security numbers. Fortuna felt uncomfortable even looking at it.

"I wouldn't want anyone looking at my medical records, period, "said Fortuna. "It's disturbing, is what it is."

Most of the records came from the Largo Ambulatory Surgery Center, but the envelope included bills from as far away as Madison, Wisc.

Also in the package was a letter that appears to be from one postal employee to another. It reads: "this envelope was found "somewhere in a box on the "new" route 25 SAT. carrier has no idea where. Steve looked at contents… we have no clues. I suspect someone tried leaving some work stuff for a co-worker and misused our envelope… Nevertheless – can you do a Sherlock on this and maybe see if you can cipher out who might get this???''

The package also included a U.S. Postal Service report of returned mail receipt which explains "Mail was found in mailbox in empty priority bag. Our carrier picked it up and brought it to our office."

Fortuna think the "Sherlock" was a lazy move that allowed dozens of people to become vulnerable to identity theft.

"I think it was an easy way out and they saw the first name on the first medical record, put it in an envelope and said let's send it to this guy."

Upon learning of Fortuna's package of mystery medical records, the U.S. Postal Service responded within an hour to Fortuna's house to seize the mail and launch an investigation. A spokesman for the postal service promised to find out what happened at the Pinellas Park post office where the mail originated.

"I think we're very interested into what transpired, "said Gary Sawtelle, U.S. Postal Service spokesman for the Tampa Bay area. "Obviously the part where this gentleman got the mail that didn't belong to him is a mistake."

Fortuna said he was pleased with the U.S. Postal Service's quick response. The Postal Service hopes to figure out what happened within the next few days. The Largo Ambulatory Surgery Center was closed this evening and no one with the business could be reached for comment.

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