A doctor in Denmark illegally accessed the patient records of approximately 4,750 individuals across the Capital Region and Region Zealand, prompting police investigation and raising serious concerns about data privacy.

The illegal access, which included names, addresses, contact information, and CPR numbers, was reported to authorities after being discovered by patients who noticed unauthorized access to their records via the Sundhedsplatformen healthcare system. In some instances, the doctor also viewed citizens’ health information.

Region Zealand’s review revealed 247 additional cases, bringing the total number of affected individuals to approximately 4,750. The Capital Region of Denmark reported 1,800 affected individuals, while Region Zealand reported approximately 2,950.

The regions have notified all affected citizens about the privacy breach. Within Region Zealand, the health information of 175 individuals was accessed, compared to fewer than five individuals in the Capital Region of Denmark.

Mette Harbo, Director of the Center for IT and Medical Technology in the Capital Region of Denmark, emphasized that instances of repeated access to the same citizen’s records were immediately reported to the police, indicating a potentially different pattern of interest.

This incident follows similar cases in recent years, including the conviction of a female doctor who made nearly 1,700 illegal searches and a female nurse who made 715 unauthorized searches, highlighting ongoing concerns about unauthorized access to patient data within the Danish healthcare system.