The private health information and Social Security numbers of nearly 4,000 patients of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center are at risk after a laptop containing their insurance claims was stolen, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Patients and patients' families were notified this month of the theft, which occurred in November at the Atlanta home of an employee of PricewaterhouseCoopers, an accounting firm reviewing the patient claims. Those notified were advised to monitor their credit.

Officials indicate that the laptop was stolen along with other valuables, and therefore they think it's unlikely it was taken to obtain the patient information. The matter is being investigated by Atlanta police.

Information contained in the laptop included patients' names, policy numbers, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, ZIP codes, medical procedures and dates of service, according to the Chronicle. All of the information was reportedly encrypted.