South Central VA Health Care Network (VISN 16)

Issue: The External Accreditation Coordinator was walking outside and found papers thrown into some bushes. She picked them up and noticed that the information was on two Veterans. She turned the information into the Privacy Officer (PO). The paperwork is handwritten…

Outcome: Unable to determine who carried the labels outside, nursing students are required to have privacy training when assigned to the VA.

Issue: Veteran A states that patient advocate mailed him some information. He received 4 pages of Veteran B's information. Veteran A does not have an appointment scheduled until 03/12/13. Veteran A will bring the information to the VA with him on…

Outcome: Supervisor met with employee and discussed privacy procedures and mailing requirements. A letter of counseling was provided.…

Issue: A Veteran returned two progress notes on two individuals (one note on each Veteran) that were received with his future surgery appointment information in the mail. He and his wife immediately took the information to the Fayetteville VA and the…

Outcome: Service has modified process to assure that such an incident won't occur again. Please see attached redacted copy of credit monitoring letter that went to both individuals today.…

Issue: It appears that Veteran A came into the Emergency Department (ED) and the staff evidently picked up the wrong armband and placed it on Veteran A. The Veteran said he realized it wasn't his and the nurse seeing the Veteran…

Outcome: Staff have been reminded again the importance of making sure you are working with the individual you think you are. Please closeSee attached letter that went out to Veteran todaythanks…

Issue: A Veteran who is also an employee stated he felt that his information may have been accessed inappropriately. The Privacy Officer (PO) ran the Sensitive Patient Access Report (SPAR) for the employee on 02/12/13. The employee apparently shared the SPAR…

Outcome: Violation was found and training has been conducted by the Privacy Officer to the staff on:02/27/2013 at 7:30 a.m.02/27/2013 at 8:30 a.m.02/27/2013 at 3:40 p.m.03/1/2013 at 8:30 a.m.03/4/2013 at 3:30 p.m.One employee who accessed the record retained menus and keys…

Issue: A clerk was working with deceased Veteran A's family. The individual was upset and by accident the clerk put her request on Veteran B's account and gave the individual a copy of the 10-5345. This hasVeteran B's full SSN, and…

Outcome: Individual involved will receive appropriate action taken training to all staff and consistent reminders of the importance of assuring they are working with the same person that they are giving the information to... double check...verifysee attached credit monitoring letterplease close…

Issue: A Supervisor called from the Ernest Childers VA Outpatient Clinic (Tulsa) (TOPC) requesting a review of a nurse with suspicion that she may have accessed another employee's record who she was dating. A Sensitive Patient Access Report (SPAR) was run…

Outcome: Supervisor responded back. Employee was required to take training over and counseled regarding this issue.

Issue: System generated appointment letters dated 1/28/13 were printed duplex with two Veterans appointment letters printing on one page. These were mailed out and four Veterans brought the letters in. Update: 02/19/13:At this point it has only been confirmed that four…

Outcome: In order to assure this does not occur in the future the printing process has been changed whereby a back page is no longer added to the print process. The letters will be printed as single documents.…

Issue: A Patient Service Assistant mailed an appointment letter to a patient. Included with it was a schedule of patients who have appointments on the same date. The patient brought the information back but there are seven patient names plus their…

Outcome: PSA has been counseled and made aware of privacy violation.

Issue: A private citizen contacted VA police to report she found a bag on the side of the road. The bag contained personal information that belonged to the owner of the bag (VA physician) and documents that contained Veterans' personally identifiable…

Outcome: Referred to provider's supervisor for appropriate disciplinary action.