VA Northern Indiana Health Care System

Issue: A Veteran/employee requested a Sensitive Patient Access Report (SPAR). On 04/02/14, the Privacy Officer (PO) reviewed the SPAR with the Veteran/employee. On 04/10/14, the Veteran/employee told the PO he did not think a certain employee should have accessed his medical…

Outcome: 05/06/14: After an investigation, the PO found that the employee should not have been in the Veteran/employee's medical record. 05/08/14: The Incident Resolution Team determined that the Veteran/employee will receive a HIPAA letter of notification.…

Issue: An Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test (iFOBT) kit was handed to Veteran A on 3/25/2014 at his appointment at one of this facility's contracted Community Based Outpatient Clinics. Veteran A called to inform that the information on the label was…

Outcome: 04/08/14: The Incident Resolution Team has determined that Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services due to full name and full SSN being disclosed.…

Issue: A Nurse Manager was handed a work restriction sheet for one of her staff. The Nurse Manager received a call from the Union representative saying she had been notified that the sheet was found by another employee. The Nurse Manager…

Outcome: 04/08/14: The Incident Resolution Team has determined that there was a policy violation. While there was an unauthorized access/disclosure of data, it has been determined that the incident has a low probability of a risk of compromise.…

Issue: A Veteran received copies of his lab results and medications from his provider. He noticed two days later there was one page of information that belonged to another Veteran. The Privacy Officer is sending an envelope for him to return…

Outcome: 04/08/14: The IRT has determined that the Veteran whose full SSN was disclosed will be offered credit protection services.…

Issue: Veteran A was handed a test kit at his appointment. The label on the tube had Veteran B's full name, full social security number and birth date. Veteran A returned the kit to the lab and the lab gave it…

Outcome: 01/14/14: Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: An employee at a contracted CBOC gave a Veteran an IFOBT kit on 11/25/13. The Veteran brought the kit back to the contracted CBOC on 11/27/13, because the label on the tube had another Veteran's (Veteran B) full name, full…

Outcome: 11/29/13: Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: A Veteran was in for his appointment and received a take home lab kit. When he was ready to use the kit, he saw Veteran B's name, full social security number and birth date on the label. He called telephone…

Outcome: 11/27/13: Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: A nurse at a contracted Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) gave labs to a Veteran. A provider at the contracted CBOC reviewed the labs with the Veteran. Later in the evening the provider realized the labs reviewed with the Veteran…

Outcome: 11/22/13: The Veteran will be sent a letter offering credit protection services, as his full SSN was disclosed.…

Issue: A Veteran's wife received a Fee letter that should have been sent to another Veteran (see PSETS 96342). The wife and her husband (a Veteran registered at our facility) went to our ROI unit and requested information that had been…

Outcome: 10/29/13: Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…

Issue: Veteran A received a Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) kit and the tube had a label with Veteran B's information. The information on the label was the full name, full social security number and birth date. Veteran A returned the…

Outcome: 09/27/13: Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.…