SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla.,None — A former patient told WFTV what he believed happened to patient records that Florida Hospital employees were accused of accessing.
Berry Popejoy told WFTV that he received a letter from the hospital warning him about the breach.
He's one of 2,200 people who were affected and said he's been to the emergency room at Florida Hospital Altamonte several times for different health problems.
Popejoy said he believes the visits have turned his life into a financial nightmare.
Popejoy said he has received letters for loans, prepaid debit cards and phone messages from schools for months.
"I know somebody got a hold of my information," said Popejoy.
Popejoy is legally blind and lives on disability payments.
He said someone has stolen his identity and he blames Florida Hospital.
Over the last few years, Popejoy said he has spent several days in the Altamonte Springs emergency room.
On Monday, he received a letter from Adventist Health System, which is the operator of Florida Hospital.
It warned him that his personal information may have been accessed by employees who were caught looking at patient information for nearly two years.
"They have my email address, they have my social security number, [and] they have everything else," said Popejoy.
Florida Hospital said it can't tell what the employees did with the information and doesn't believe anyone has been victimized.
But Popejoy said otherwise. He claims people have used his information to apply for loans.
"He says, 'Your loan went through for $1,500 for a used car.' I said, 'Excuse me, I don't drive. You're talking to someone that's legally blind,'" he said.
It's a nightmare, he said, and wonders how many other Florida Hospital patients are dealing with the same thing.
"All they could tell me is, 'Sorry,'" he said.
The hospital offered credit monitoring, but he feels the damage has already been done.
Osceola County sheriff's investigators are encouraging potential victims to call them.
The sheriff's office is investigating and the FBI said it's looking into it.
WFTV
