Several Washington County residents raised concerns over patient privacy after a slew of medical records were found scattered near Washington Regional Medical Center’s adjacent demolition site and, according to one resident, in citizen’s yards.

Plymouth native Pamela Blackmore Jenkins-Gaylord says she discovered the demolition Tuesday, November 4, while visiting the town. She observed the demolition, noticing boxes containing papers, and says she watched those papers “fly around” leading to her to investigate.

Gaylord says that she initially approached the demolition crew and was told that they were just doing their jobs and that she would have to speak with someone else about the documents.

Gaylord took notice of the documents and says she notice that they contained the social security numbers, date of births and addresses of citizens in Washington County.

Disturbed, she feared for the privacy of the individuals listed, as she recognized the names of some residents who were still very much alive.

She added that more eyebrows were raised when documents were not only at the demolition site, but also showing up in citizens’ yards near the landfill.

The following day she contacted WITN news outlet and has since planned to contact the Attorney General, an attorney who handles class action law suits and several of the still living citizens she personally saw on the files.

“The owner and contractor should have hired a company to properly handle the documents by calling patients who names were in the files and or discarding them by shredding or burning the sensitive documents of those who are deceased,” Gaylord said. “It’s a shame people have to go to the landfill and dig out their medical records. It’s a shame.”

Since Gaylord’s contact with The Beacon and WITN, WCRMC has responded to the controversy.

According to an official statement, courtesy of CEO Frank Avignone, the presence of medical records during the demolition was due to an oversight during the early collection process.

“Before demolition began, a WRMC team entered the buildings and removed all records that they could locate. However, due to the lack of electricity and the presence of hazardous conditions—including extensive mold and animal waste—some areas were difficult to access,” the release stated. “It now appears that one corner of one building contained additional records that were missed. When those materials were uncovered during demolition, work was immediately halted and efforts began to safely recover and secure any records.”

The release added that WRMC “takes the protection of personal health information very seriously and is working diligently to ensure that all records are properly handled in accordance with state and federal regulations…WRMC asks, that if anyone encounters materials that appear to be medical records, they contact WRMC immediately so that we can collect them safely.”