VA Midwest Health Care Network (VISN 23)

Issue: Provider discussed Patient's diagnosis/condition with Patient's realtor over unsecured email, to email address outside of VA. Update: 02/12/13:The Patient will be sent a notification letter.…

Outcome: To HRMS for action. Required to re-take privacy training.

Issue: An appointment letter was sent to the wrong Veteran. Update: 02/06/13:Due to medical information to be exposed, Veteran B will be sent a notification letter.…

Outcome: Letter sent to Veteran. The clinic was told to be more careful when sending letters.…

Issue: VHA employee sent a fax containing medical information on a Veteran to an incorrect fax number. Update: 02/06/13:Veteran A will be sent a notification letter.…

Outcome: The staff member who sent the fax to the wrong number was advised about the double-check system which needs to be used prior to hitting the "Send" key on the fax machine. She stated she understood and would take the…

Issue: A former employee mailed a packet of court documents to the attention of a Human Resources employee at our facility. The facility Mailroom sent the packet of documents to a Veteran by that name rather than the HR employee. Update:…

Outcome: The mailroom staff followed internal procedure. The former employee who sent the document did not put a title or routing number on the envelope. Review of process has been done and future duplicate name documents will be thoroughly reviewed to…

Issue: Veteran A's medication list was put in another Veteran's medication safe and his medication order details were put in another Veteran's folder as well. Update: 01/30/13:Due to full SSN and medical information being disclosed, Veteran A will be sent a…

Outcome: Supervisor is going to discuss with staff and send out memo along with present privacy training slides to staff.

Issue: VA employee sent PHI/PII to president of local AFGE union. Update: 1/25/13:Even though the local AFGE Union president is a VA employee in the capacity of the Union they are not consider a VA employee. Therefore individual will receive a…

Outcome: To HRMS for action. Required to re-take privacy training also.

Issue: Provider placed labels on prescriptions and provided to a patient, but the labels contained another patient's information. Update: 01/24/13:One patient will be sent a letter offering credit protection services due to the disclosure of full name and SSN.…

Outcome: Counseling provided.

Issue: On 1/23/13 the Privacy Officer (PO) was doing Environment of Care (EOC) rounds and found one patient progress note sitting by a copier in a hallway. The note contained patient's name, full social security number, DOB and medical information. The…

Outcome: PO removed and destroyed.

Issue: Employee faxed Personal Health Information on a Veteran to an incorrect fax number. Update: 01/22/13:The Veteran will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.NOTE: There were a total of 23 Mis-Handling incidents this reporting period. Because of repetition, the…

Outcome: The company who received the faxed documents in error have shredded them.

Issue: Means Test Reminder letter mailed to the wrong veteran, Veteran A. Veteran A reported and sent back letter. Update: 01/22/13:Veteran B will be sent a general notification letter.…

Outcome: Letter sent with the HIPAA Notification Letter to Veteran. Voluntary Service was asked to remind staff to be precautious when they send out letters.…