Phoenix VA Health Care System

Issue: Today, 1/24/2013, PO receives a written privacy complaint from a Veteran/Employee in inner office mail. This was dated January 21, 2014. Employee asserts that 4 other employees accessed employee's medical record without permission or only to review appointments. It's not…

Outcome: 02/03/14: Discussed with HIMS Chief. Investigation is in progress. Staff reporting has inquired about status of investigation. Assured that this was in progress. HIMS Chief produced and distributed a SOP for her staff regarding how to access records for staff…

Issue: Today, 01/16/13, a VA employee and another staff member self-reported to the Privacy Officer (PO) of inadvertent disclosure of Veteran protected health information (PHI), in paper format. Earlier today, the Veteran was provided with his discharge paperwork. Upon review at…

Outcome: 01/21/14: The three Veterans' name, diagnosis and medication information were compromised. The three Veterans will receive a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: Today, 01/15/14, VA employee provided the Privacy Officer (PO) with a copy of her Sensitive Patient Access Report (SPAR) indicating that her chart information was accessed without her authorization or a business need to know. She identified four (4) staff…

Outcome: 02/04/14: The Supervisor confirmed the SPAR was his/hers. The PO provided a partial SPAR with request to indicate business reason for chart access by her employee. 03/04/14: The PO sent a summary to supervisors and Human Resources (HR) yesterday of…

Issue: Today, 01/07/14, the Pharmacy Supervisor reports Veteran B received three bottles of same medication by mail, pertaining to Veteran A. Pharmacy has attempted to contact the caretaker by phone. It is not yet determined if Veteran B was an intended…

Outcome: 01/07/14: Veteran B will receive a HIPAA letter of notification.…

Issue: Today, 01/07/14, Pharmacy Supervisor reports privacy incident where Veteran B received diabetic test strips and protected health information (PHI) pertaining to Veteran A in the mail. Veteran B reported this to the Pharmacy/Help desk late 01/06/14. Both Veterans should have…

Outcome: 01/27/14: Veteran A will receive a HIPAA letter of notification.…

Issue: On 12/31/13, Employee A reported to the Privacy Officer (PO) that two fellow employees accessed his medical record without his permission. He provided seven pages of a Sensitive Patient Access Report (SPAR). He indicates that one employee accessed his chart…

Outcome: 12/31/13: This ticket routinely would have been opened as a complaint but it was opened as an incident due to a high profile situation. It's been evolving but finally came to the PO's office today. One situation is tied to…

Issue: On, 11/12/13, the Privacy Officer (PO) at Memphis, TN reports that a Veteran reported to him that our facility provided him with medical records of another Veteran. The records were requested and provided to the Veteran during June 2004. The…

Outcome: 11/13/13: Contacted HIMS Chief. She relates that both Veterans charts have been retired. ROI+ does not show that we ever received a letter from Veteran for additional request for records nor that we fulfilled more than 1 portion of his…

Issue: Today, 11/08/13, Pharmacy Supervisor reports that a medication for Veteran A was dispensed to Veteran B early yesterday evening. Immediately after leaving the facility, Veteran B realized that he was not dispensed his own medication, returning it to the facility.…

Outcome: 11/08/13: Veteran A will receive a HIPAA letter of notification.…

Issue: Today, 11/06/13, the Patient Advocate provided a delayed privacy complaint from a Veteran. The Veteran complained that a pharmacist discussed Veterans medical status with PCP by speaker phone while husband was standing in hallway. He overhead the conversation and complained…

Outcome: 02/03/14: Pharmacy Supervisor had previously discussed this with clinic manager and Veteran(s). She confirmed that they had told her that they recorded her call at the end of the call and wanted further action regarding several complaints. Investigation of complaint…

Issue: A VA employee was taking a laboratory slip to the laboratory and took opportunity to move privately owned vehicle to a safer location (on station). When he returned to the work area he realized that he did not have the…

Outcome: 11/04/13: Veteran A will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…