Birmingham VA Medical Center

Issue: The spouse of a Birmingham VA Medical Center (BVAMC) patient presented to the Patient Services Assistant (PSA) documents that spouse requested be delivered to a BVAMC Resident. The PSA advised the spouse that the Resident was gone for the evening,…

Outcome: 11/25/13: Nine (9) Patients will be sent letters offering credit protection services due to full SSN being disclosed.…

Issue: The Birmingham VA Medical Center (BVAMC) Privacy Officer (PO) received a notification from the nurse manager for GI procedure that an employee mailed out biopsy letters to the wrong patients. The daughter of one of the patients called to inform…

Outcome: Data not available.

Issue: Birmingham VA Medical Center (BVAMC) Privacy Officer (PO) received notification from BVAMC Pharmacy employee of a medication error where two packages were mislabeled resulting in two veterans receiving each other's medications at the pharmacy window. The spouse of one veteran…

Outcome: 10/22/13: Veteran A and B will be sent a notification letter.…

Issue: Birmingham VA Medical Center (BVAMC) Privacy Officer (PO) received notification via email on 07/11/13 that on 07/10/13, a BVAMC patient reported for an appointment in the BVAMC Blue Clinic. The patient had a copy of medical records to review and…

Outcome: 07/11/13: One patient will be sent a letter of notification.…

Issue: Birmingham VA Medical Center (BVAMC) patient/employee stated to the Information Security Officer (ISO) and Chief, Health Information Management Service (HIMS), that he requested a CD of the procedure performed on him at the BVAMC on 06/07/13. The patient/employee stated he…

Outcome: 06/27/13: One Veteran will be sent a letter offering credit protection services due to full name and SSN being unaccounted for.…

Issue: The Birmingham VA Medical Center (BVAMC) Privacy Officer (PO) was provided a Report of Contact by the BVAMC Quality Manager which stated that on 05/16/13, a BVAMC RN at a clinic reported she was contacted by Patient A who stated…

Outcome: 06/13/13: One patient will be sent a notification letter.…

Issue: A social worker for the Birmingham VA Medical Center (BVAMC) inadvertently faxed a BVAMC patient's medical information including discharge orders, medical history and physical, and physician completed plan of care to the wrong fax number. The BVAMC social worker spoke…

Outcome: 05/24/13: The Veteran will be sent a letter offering credit protection services, as his medical information and full SSN were disclosed outside VA. 06/10/13: This was determined to be HITECH reportable by VHA Privacy Office.…