The concept of “first, do no harm” apparently doesn’t extend to those who provide support services for doctors, as a founder of a medical answering service has been charged with hacking into a competitor’s service, and rearranging the system so that calls to the doctors were met with the passionate moans of someone seemingly in the throes of ecstasy, or with a busy signal.
The perpetrator, Gerald Martin, a principal with Emergency Response Answering Service, allegedly hacked into the computer system of rival Statcomm, in November of last year.
According to Stuart Hayman, president of the Westchester County Medical Society, the stunt ”could have prevented thousands of patients from reaching their physicians in emergency situations.” And in fact, according to authorities at least one patient did have to go to the emergency room after they were unable to reach their doctor.
Martin is also charged with mailing a forged New York State Department of Taxation and Finance document to a medical provider making it look as though Statcomm was under investigation for fraud.
According to reports, Martin’s actions resulted in more than $20,000 in damages to Statcomm.
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Now, if he’d have pulled the stunt on a sex therapist’s office, he might have actually boosted their business for them.
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Sounds a bizzare business man to create a stunt that ruins his reputation and that of the Telephone Answering Service industry he is involved in.