VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6)

Issue: Veteran A received page number 2 of Veteran B's lab letter. The letter contained Veteran B's lab results. Update: 04/25/13:Veteran B will be sent a HIPAA notification letter.05/29/13:This was determined to be HITECH reportable by VHA Privacy Office.…

Outcome: notification letter sent on 5-20-13. The corrective action includes -the staff reviewing and modifying the mailing process to closely monitor the outgoing mail.

Issue: The Research Coordinator reported that the Research file for one patient cannot be found at this time. She is continuing her search. The information at risk contains the patient's name, full SSN, date of birth and protected health information. Update:…

Outcome: Credit monitoring letter given to patient. The search continues for the study record.…

Issue: Veteran received state benefits claim form for another Veteran which listed name and social security number. Update: 04/19/13:This was sent from the medical center's release of information office. The Veteran whose SSN was exposed will be offered credit protection services.05/16/13:This…

Outcome: Employee responsible for mis mailing was counseled to prevent future occurrences.

Issue: On 04/17/13 during a routine walk through of the facility, the VA Chief of Police identified a recycle bin containing medical documentation and protected health information (PHI). The documentation was from the Optical Shop and included Veterans' names, social security…

Outcome: NA

Issue: Veteran A received Veteran B's medication upon discharge from the medical center. Update: 04/15/13:Due to Date of Birth and medical information being exposed, Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.NOTE: There were a total of #…

Outcome: Medications were returned to the VA and responsible service was educated.

Issue: An IT Specialist in Information Resource Management (IRM) found 2 pages of an Academic Medicine Team roster and a Veteran's progress notes containing personally identifiable information (PII)/protected health information (PHI). The information was found in the grass on VA property.…

Outcome: Privacy Officer informed Resident to take the Privacy and HIPAA training course in TMS or the Mandatory Training for Trainees to re-emphasize the importance of protecting the veteran's protected health information. Resident has completed the Privacy and HIPAA Training and…

Issue: Veteran A had Veteran Bs identification wrist band placed on her arm in the Salisbury ED by a Salisbury VA staff member. Update: 04/04/13:Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…

Outcome: Supervisor documented ED nursing staff was retrained and educated on proper identification and placement ID wristbands. This incident was part of another ID wristband incident that occurred earlier that the PO forgot to address.

Issue: On 03/26/13 at approximately 6:45 AM, VA Employee A Phlebotomist asked a Veteran his full SSN in front of other patients according to VA Employee B Phlebotomist. Update: 03/28/13: One Veteran will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…

Outcome: On 3/28/13 PO sent VA Employee A Phlebotomist an e-mail stressing to her not to verbally ask the Veteran to provide his full SSN with other people around because it's a breach of his privacy. On 3/29/13 VA Employee A…

Issue: A Facility Social Worker mistakenly gave an Advanced Directive Form to a Veteran and this form had been partially filled out with information by a different Veteran. The Veteran that received this information returned it the following day. Update: 03/26/13:The…

Outcome: The Veteran whose SSN was disclosed will be sent a letter offering credit protection services. Request closure.

Issue: This is an earlier investigation - The Virginia Department of Health Professions contacted one of our nurse managers regarding an employee that had been removed. The former employee copied patient records to use in a report against another nurse to…

Outcome: Information given to the VA Police who forwarded information to the OIG. No other information is available.…