South Central VA Health Care Network (VISN 16)

Issue: A Veteran received their test results in the mail. The envelope contained test results on four additional Veterans. Update: 11/27/12:All four Veterans will be sent letters offering credit protection services, as their full SSN's were disclosed.…

Outcome: Supervisor of e-mail educated employees on 11/30/12.

Issue: A VA employee found a list of 49 current and former employees' names and social security numbers on the top of filing cabinet in the Environmental Management Service supervisor's office. Update: 11/28/12:The list was left out on the filing cabinet…

Outcome: Spoke to supervisor & provided training & awareness.

Issue: An employee found an operation schedule on the grounds of the facility which appears to have fallen from someones documents. Update: 11/26/12:The Privacy Officer is reviewing the schedule to determine the information involved and the specific number of individuals affected.12/11/12:The…

Outcome: The PO recommends closing this incident, as the individual who printed the document cannot be ascertained. The document never left VA premises therefore it never out of the control of the VA. The incident was not intentional. Credit Monitoring Letter…

Issue: A patient's medical records were mailed in June 2012 and never recieved at patient's post office box. Update: 11/20/12:The patient will be sent a letter offering credit protection services, as his full SSN and medical information were potentially disclosed.…

Outcome: No violation found as the records were sent to right address just never received by patient at post office and post office did not have the records.

Issue: VA Employee received an email stating that documents have been added to her eOPF file. Upon examination of the eOPF it was confirmed that the record did not belong to the Employee. The Employee notified Human Resources and her eOPF…

Outcome: The incorrect record was pulled from the eOPF and placed in the correct record. Employee whose information was in corrected posted was notified of the incident and informed that the information was removed and placed in correct record. It has…

Issue: Patient A called and was very upset about x-wife who is a VA employee accessing his medical record. ISO marked the record sensitive but there is no way of finding out if x-wife actually went in medical record. Update: 11/16/12:Patient…

Outcome: ISO restricted medical record and made it sensitive.

Issue: Employee states that the minimum background information was left in an unattended open office from November 2-18, 2012. Update: 12/03/12:One individual will receive a letter offering credit protection services due to full name and full SSN being exposed.…

Outcome: Education was provided to the HR staff on 12/05/2012 with regards to safeguarding sensitive information and the clean desk policy.

Issue: Pharmacy Service dispensed the wrong prescription and paperwork to Patient A. Patient A received information for Patient B. The medication and paperwork were destroyed. The paperwork contained Veteran B's name, address date of birth and medication information. Update: 11/13/12:Patient B…

Outcome: Continous training and awareness!!

Issue: Veteran A was going on pass and was given the wrong bag of medications. It contained Veteran B's name, address and date of birth as well as medications. It was returned.. Veteran B did not get the wrong information. Update:…

Outcome: Appropriate actions taken... All staff reminded of the importance of confirming who you are giving information to identification at all times. Letter has gone out. See attachment.…

Issue: Patient A presented to the pharmacy booth on 11/06/12 concerned that the VA had the wrong address. He had some medications being mailed and thought that we were sending them to the wrong address. He gave employee a white slip…

Outcome: Continue training & awareness.