Rocky Mountain Network (VISN 19)

Issue: The Privacy Officer (PO) received a complaint that VA employee accessed a patient's records without an official purpose or need to know. The information at risk included the patient's name, full SSN date of birth and medical information. Update: 09/21/12:The…

Outcome: Employee will complete remedial VA TMS training #10203 Privacy and HIPAA training and administrative actions are pending. Credit monitoring letter sent to patient.

Issue: A contract scanning company responsible for scanning personnel files into eOPF scanned the document of one employee into the files of another employee. The second employee reported this event and HR immediately removed the file. This is the fourth time…

Outcome: Reporting 4th violation of outside contractor in uploading files inappropriately into eOPF files. Recommend passing up the chain to have contract reviewed.…

Issue: Veteran A requested copy of medical records from the release of information unit. The Veteran received a copy of a compensation and pension exam report that belonged to a Veteran B. The issue here is that the compensation and pension…

Outcome: Both files were reviewed to ensure no other documents were filed incorrectly.

Issue: A VA employee was cleaning out file cabinets and inadvertently threw away, in a housekeeping bin, a folder that contained patient information, i.e., all demographics, medications, test results. This bin was found on an unsecured loading dock. The patient information…

Outcome: Employee was given a written counseling - Credit Monitoring Letter was sent on 8/31/12 - a redacted copy has been uploaded.

Issue: The back page of a medication profile from Veteran A was inadvertently mailed to Veteran B. Veteran B called the pharmacy to inform them immediately upon discovery and had destroyed the page prior to calling. The information at risk included…

Outcome: The medication sheet was retrieved and destroyed. Procedures were reviewed with staff.

Issue: An employee while in the restroom saw papers under a stack of paper towels. There were two documents found; both printed 07/18/12 at 6:37 AM.The first document is a Veteran Patient Roster containing the full name and last four numbers…

Outcome: The documents were retrieved. The process of printing out the inpatient list was discontinued and the staff were educated in how to do patient lookup in VistA.

Issue: Police Service found a CPRS progress note in a public area. The document contained the veteran's name and full SSN. Update: 08/06/12:The Veteran will receive a letter offering creit protection services.…

Outcome: PO believe the patient left note at lobby desk after her appointment. Police service responded correctly in alerting and sending document to the Privacy Officer.…

Issue: A Veteran came to VA and handed the Administrative Officer of the Day an envelope that the Veteran had received through the US Postal Service. Enclosed in the envelope was the Veteran's appointment letter and an appointment letter for another…

Outcome: MSA education regarding the cost of mismailings, no shows; timeslot not utilized and therefore not available to another veteran who needed the appointment time.

Issue: A VA Physical Therapy clerk found six DD214s, a VBA payment remittance coupon, and a military retirement pay letter in among magazines located in the waiting area. Update: 08/06/23:The six DD214s contain the full SSSN. The military retirement pay letter…

Outcome: We are uncertain as to how the DD214 documents appeared in PT area. The schedule was checked for VBA employees who may have had an appointment within the last few months. No current employee on the schedule. The good news,…

Issue: An employee in the Pharmacy, who is currently filing a grievance because of a disciplinary action with the Union, provided treatment notes from the Computerized Patient Records System on one of the patients. The employee disclosed these records without redacting…

Outcome: 8/10/12 - per this employee's Supervisor, a reprimand is going to be issued.