VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6)

Issue: A Veteran found a VA form 10-2493 for four Veterans on the floor in the hospital. The Veteran immediately found the Information Security Officer who took control of the paperwork. The form contained full name, full SSN and date of…

Outcome: The responsible service has counseled the employee responsible as well as requiring the employee to retake the privacy training. Supervisor is also reeducating all staff to the importance of protecting PHI while in transport from one location within the hospital…

Issue: An HUD-VASH employee reported the mishandling of a laboratory jug given to a Veteran. The laboratory jug contained another Veteran's name and social security number. The laboratory jug will be given to the Privacy Officer on 11/9/12 at 9:00 AM…

Outcome: Assistant Path and Lab Chief provided education to the laboratory techs on November 14, 2012 to ensure the correct label is printed for all transactions in processing labatory specimens.

Issue: Veteran A was issued another Veteran B's hearing aids by mistake. The box containing the hearing aids listed the Veteran B's full name and last four of his social security number. Update: 11/07/12:Veteran B will be sent a notification letter.…

Outcome: Reinforced privacy policy with employee. Notified Veteran via credit monitoring letter.

Issue: A VA employee at the Community Based Outpatient Clinic printed an appointment letter for a veteran . The appointment letter was given to the boyfriend of the veteran by the employee without the verbal or written consent from the veteran.…

Outcome: The Chief of MHBS Services and the Privacy Officer provided training and education to the physician and the Health Administration Staff regarding the safeguarding of a Veteran's personally identifiable information. The physician acknowledged she will not discuss another's Veteran's health…

Issue: A VA employee discovered that Veteran A received the wrong appointment information when he arrived. Update: 10/18/12:One Veteran will be sent a letter offering credit protection services due to full name and SSN being disclosed.…

Outcome: Service Chief to determine appropriate administrative action.

Issue: Veteran (A) was mailed a copy of Veteran(B) copies document claim forms printed out of the VISTA package from Prosthetics service. Veteran (A) has returned the documents. Update: 10/19/12: Due to full SSN and medical information being exposed, Veteran B…

Outcome: Service will no longer enclose additional documents in the clothing allowance approval denial letter that is sent to Veteran.

Issue: Patient information consisting of a lab report was left unattended in an equipment drawer temporarily stored in hallway. Update: 10/26/12:The patient will receive a letter of notification.…

Outcome: Reinforced / reviewed the facility Privacy Policy with the employee.

Issue: Two patients were being discharged at the same time. Patient A was anxious to go home and was encouraging the staff to work faster. The discharge nurse gave Patient A the discharge instructions for Patient B. The incident was not…

Outcome: Attempts have been to retrieve the discharge instructions to no avail at this time. Nursing staff have been reminded about the importance of checking all documents for each Veteran before handing discharge paperwork to the Veteran upon discharging from the…

Issue: On 09/25/12 the Beckley VAMC mailroom manager called the Privacy Officer (PO) stating that he received a phone call from someone at united parcel service advising us that a package that was mailed from our facility was damaged or destroyed…

Outcome: No violation of security and/or privacy standards has been found. Nevertheless, one Veteran's check, with his and his wife's full name, address and telephone number, was destroyed by UPS. This Privacy Officer does recommend that this Veteran receive notification of…

Issue: A Veterans Center employee reports that her medical record was accessed by her office manager. The employee is also a Veteran at this facility. After a senstitive record review, it was noted that the office manager accessed the medical record…

Outcome: The individual that accessed the records had her access revoked. However limited access was given for VISTA to enter leave, and she was allowed to close out FY-12 actions.…