Büren/Minden (dpa/lnw) - The Minden administrative court is currently dealing with the data scandal surrounding the patient files found in an abandoned clinic in Büren in East Westphalia. Specifically, the question is whether the city or the property owner company has to bear the costs of securing the files, as a court spokeswoman said. City officials hope that the case will move beyond the question of costs.
The data scandal made headlines in 2020. At that time, a YouTuber found mountains of patient files in the clinic, which had been empty for more than ten years at the time. The files were freely accessible to anyone with enough criminal energy, said Büren's mayor Burkhard Schwuchow. The city intervened as the local regulatory authority: the entrances to the files were sealed, and a security service was hired.
The city wanted the money for this and the running costs for the alarm system back from the owner, who sued against it. The verdict of the administrative court is expected on January 6th. The clinic operating company has long been insolvent. Like the owner company, which is now in court with the city, it is a wholly owned subsidiary of MK-Kliniken AG, formerly Marseille-Kliniken AG. MK Kliniken AG initially did not respond to a request from the German Press Agency.
Schwuchow hopes that the owner could give the files to a hospital for viewing and storage. In addition, the city has a great interest in the fact that there is a development on the property "and that this deficiency is remedied."
