South Texas Veterans Health Care System

Issue: Employee's record accessed by co-worker (Social Worker). She states she was attempting to assist employee.…

Outcome: 01/02/14: After a lengthy review, it was determined that the employee was not authorized to access co-workers record. The employee will be sent a notification letter.…

Issue: Benefit E-travel voucher mailed to wrong Veteran

Outcome: 10/28/13: Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: Received complaint of inappropriate access into medical record. Record was accessed in 2010 and 2011. Investigation initiated…

Outcome: 10/07/13: According to the PO, fact finding will be conducted this week, employee was out of the office and has returned. Interview scheduled for Oct 7th. PO will update upon completion. 10/25/13: fact finding ongoing 10/28/13: according to the PO…

Issue: One of our Employees who is also a Veteran called one of our Outpatient Clinics to make an appointment. She was informed they did not have any appointments available and she was transferred to the Nursing line to leave a…

Outcome: 08/29/13: The Employee/Veteran will receive a HIPAA letter of notification.…

Issue: An inpatient transport (ticket to ride) patient hand-off sheet was found in the back of a blue station wheelchair. When the Polytrauma staff was assisting the patient to transfer out of the station wheelchair into his newly issued personal wheelchair,…

Outcome: 08/29/13: It was visible through the mesh, it was for a different patient and the PO cannot be sure it wasn't compromised. The other patient will receive a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: Appointment list was given to wrong veteran. Veteran A will return Veteran B's document to the clinic.…

Outcome: 07/25/13: Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services, as his name, SSN, and medical information was compromised.…

Issue: The Release of Information office received a call from a patient's wife stating they (Patient A) received FMLA paperwork from the GEM clinic for another patient (Patient B). Document will be returned to Privacy Officer via mail.…

Outcome: 07/24/13: Due to medical information being disclosed, Patient B will be sent a notification letter.…

Issue: Employee A received a Designation of Beneficiary form for Employee B in the mail, it was in the envelope along with hers. The employee returned the form the Privacy Office.…

Outcome: 07/02/13: Employee B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services due to full name and SSN being exposed.…

Issue: A CBOC sent a patient copies of his vascular results which were printed from VISTA imaging. Attached to his notes was another patient's documents which had been scanned into the wrong patients chart. The documents were returned to the clinic.…

Outcome: 06/20/13: The other patient's documents contained his name, full SSN, and vascular results. He will receive a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: Veteran A received medications at the Frank M. Tejeda VA Outpatient Clinic (FTOPC) window (Ibuprofen) belonging to Veteran B (same last name, different first name). The error was discovered very shortly thereafter and pharmacist telephoned Veteran A to tell him…

Outcome: 06/18/13: Veteran B will be sent a notification letter.…