A password-protected laptop computer containing information about 61,027 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center patients from multiple states and several foreign countries has been stolen.

There has been no indication the information has been misused, according to an article posted on the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital website. The hospital notified patients and guardians of the theft via letters mailed May 28, and is offering free identity theft protection services.

The laptop was stolen from an employee’s vehicle sometime between March 27 and 29, and the theft was reported to the Cincinnati Police, according to the hospital.

The information on the laptop included some names, medical record numbers and services received. No social security numbers, telephone numbers or credit card information were stored on the computer, the hospital said.

Information on the laptop was password-protected but was not encrypted, the hospital said.

Since this event, Cincinnati Children's has strengthened its encryption practices to ensure no PC laptop computers are issued unless the encryption process is initiated. In addition, the hospital has improved its process for tracking the encryption of these laptops. Cincinnati Children's “is committed to communicating safe electronic practices across the institution and rolling out updated training on securing and protecting patient information to all employees,” the article said.

In the notification letter, Michael Fisher, president and CEO of the facility, wrote: “Cincinnati Children’s is committed to providing the highest level of care for its patients and their families and that includes protecting personal information.”

The notification of the families, the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the general public through a news release and posting on the hospital’s website were made in accordance with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act approved in 2009.