Hospital Credit Card Thefts: Former Employee Faces Charges; Hospitals Increase Security Measures Amid Concerns

A former employee of Baptist Health in Louisville, Kentucky was arrested after being accused of stealing credit cards from patients at the hospital. Between October and December of 2023, at least five individuals reported their credit cards missing. The suspect, Lauren Miller, is facing multiple theft charges, with one warrant alleging she spent over $1,000 and another claiming she spent less than $500.

Court documents revealed that the hospital matched Miller’s work schedule in the critical care unit to the times when the credit cards were reported stolen. Additionally, she was reportedly seen using the stolen cards while wearing scrubs at a local business. Barry Wilkerson, St. Matthews Chief of Police, expressed concern over the impact of such thefts on patients and their families, especially when they are already dealing with health challenges.

To prevent similar incidents, Wilkerson advised patients and their loved ones to avoid bringing valuable items to the hospital. He suggested carrying only an ID and insurance card for appointments or surgeries. While he acknowledged that it may be difficult in emergencies, he stressed the importance of minimizing risk by keeping valuables at home.

Baptist Health issued a statement confirming that Miller is no longer employed by the hospital and cited privacy laws as the reason for not providing further details. The investigation into the credit card thefts is ongoing, with authorities urging patients to be cautious and take steps to protect their belongings while seeking medical care.

In recent years, there has been an increase in credit card thefts among healthcare workers across the country. This has led many hospitals to implement stricter security measures to prevent such incidents from occurring again.

While this incident is concerning for both patients and healthcare providers alike, it serves as a reminder that we must always remain vigilant when it comes to protecting our personal information and belongings while seeking medical care.

As we move forward from this incident, it is important for healthcare providers to continue working towards improving security measures in order to keep patients safe from such incidents in the future.

Overall, this incident highlights how important it is for hospitals to have strong security protocols in place in order to protect patient information and prevent thefts like these from happening again.