FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP): A local Indiana hospital system has agreed to pay a federal agency a $800,000 fine to settle potential privacy violations related to the disposal of medical records.
 
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Monday it began an investigation in May 2011 after receiving a complaint from a retiring physician alleging Parkview Health System Inc. violated federal patient privacy rules.
 
The Journal Gazette reports agency officials say 71 cardboard boxes of medical records containing data from up to 8,000 patients were left unattended in the physician's driveway when she wasn't home.
 
Parkview spokesman Eric Clabaugh says patient information didn't fall into the wrong hands.
 
The settlement includes a plan requiring Parkview to revise its policies and procedures, train staff and provide an implementation report to the department.