Albany VA Medical Center: Samuel S. Stratton

Issue: A Veteran was seen in the Emergency Room on 09/29/14. He was sent home with a specimen bottle and labels to bring back to the VA on 10/01/14. When the Veteran went to label specimen container it was discovered that…

Outcome: 10/07/14: The Incident Resolution Service Team has determined that two (2) Veterans will be sent letters offering credit protection services due to full SSN being disclosed.…

Issue: A VA employee called an HRC employee to discuss her brother's medications. She is not listed as NOK or designee. She was looking at his records in the computer and told the HRC employee that she was in his record…

Outcome: 08/06/14: The Incident Resolution Service Team has determined that the patient will be sent a HIPAA notification letter due to Protected Health Information (PHI) being accessed inappropriately.…

Issue: Veteran A received medication in the mail. Included in his package was a drug information sheet belonging to Veteran B. It contained the medication name as well as the Veteran's full name and address.…

Outcome: 06/25/14: The Incident Resolution Service Team determined that Veteran B will receive a HIPAA letter of notification.…

Issue: A VA Physician accessed Veteran A's CPRS for information while treating Veteran B. The Veteran (Veteran B) he was treating referred to another Veteran (Veteran A) seen here at the VA and the Physician looked in Veteran A's record to…

Outcome: 06/11/14: While being examined for admission, Veteran A told his Physician that he had shared a needle with Veteran B who stated that he had Hepatitis B. The Physician accessed Veteran B's CPRS record to confirm that he did in…

Issue: VA employee tried to help a Veteran by printing off a Compensation and Pension report and mail to him to help secure benefits. The employee entered the incorrect mailing address on the envelope. The envelope went to Veteran's neighbor who…

Outcome: 05/21/14: The Incident Resolution Team has determined that the Veteran whose information was disclosed will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: A VA employee had a window open while working. The window did not have a screen on the window. An SF-52 blew out the window. Four employees went to look for it but could not locate the missing document. The…

Outcome: 04/08/14: The Incident Resolution Team has determined that the employee will be sent a letter offering credit protection services due to the full SSN being exposed and unable to be located.…

Issue: VA employee facing reprimand has hired a Federal Attorney. The Attorney is in possession of 8 pages of medical records on one Veteran that VA did not release. This was found when the Attorney submitted a response on behalf of…

Outcome: 05/01/14: The Incident Resolution Team has determined that this was a data breach as the employee did take copies of a medical record off site and has given them to her lawyer. The Veteran will be offered credit protection services.…

Issue: An employee was being dismissed during probation period. The employee left to go home a few weeks ago then came in Friday for a mediation session and found a printed list of one Veterans appointment list in her papers that…

Outcome: 02/18/14: IRT update: Due to the fact that the Employee had been dismissed and to err on side of caution, Veteran A will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: Piece of equipment from Audiology dept was mailed to a Veterans home. Box contained the Veteran address but also had last 4 of SSN written on the box. Also box had a sticker with what equipment was inside. Another sticker…

Outcome: 01/23/14: The Veteran will be sent a HIPAA notification letter due to Protected Health Information (PHI) being disclosed.…

Issue: Veteran brought in additional piece of paper that was mailed with her information. It's a Neuro Psychology consult request on a Veteran (Veteran B). She personally brought it back to the hospital. Envelope is postmarked 9/30/13…

Outcome: 12/06/13: Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…