A major Brisbane hospital has downplayed privacy concerns after patients' medical files fell off the back of a truck and ended up strewn across a busy road.
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital is investigating the incident, which happened as a contractor removed unwanted files for destruction.
The paperwork was found by a hospital worker late last week on a road in nearby Bowen Hills.
The hospital says no complete medical records were lost, but admits some of the paperwork contained information such as patients' names.
It included letters, referrals for appointments and other documents.
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The hospital is reviewing how it handles patient files, as is the contractor who lost the documents.
The hospital's executive director, Dr David Rosengren, has sought to assure patients that privacy risks are minimal.
"There we no complete medical records," Dr Rosengren told reporters.
"I would like to reassure the public that we have no concerns, at this stage, that there is any exposure of confidential information that has not been recovered by the hospital."
The hospital revealed the blunder on the advice of the privacy commissioner.
