Search Privacy Violations, Breaches and Complaints
This database was last updated in December 2015 ago and should only be used as a historical snapshot. More recent data on breaches affecting 500 or more people is available at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Breach Portal.
VA NY/NJ Veterans Healthcare Network (VISN 3)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on November 3, 2011. Also cited in 59 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000068300, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 03 Bronx, NY
Issue:
During a Peer Review Council Committee meeting two (2) cases were handed out to committee members, upon conclusion of the meeting the cases are to be returned to the chair, who then collects them and places them in the shredding bin. Two of the cases were discovered by the housekeeper upon cleaning the room. The Privacy Officer (PO) has spoken to the committee chair and he is unable to tell who left the documents in the room. The full name, last four of SSN, DOB, date of admission, and DX were all listed on the documents. Update: 11/07/11:The files were left in an unlocked room and were found in a room other than the room they were left in. Two Veterans will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.
Outcome:
We have reminded the staff on the appropriate methods to use regarding the destruction of sensitive documents within the facility. We have put in place certain security measures (e.g. a shredding bin for sensitive information was place in the area) that will prevent this happening in the future.