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.
Phoenix VA Health Care System
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on July 24, 2013. Also cited in 102 other reports.
Report ID: PSETS0000092487, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: PHOENIX AZ - 644
Issue:
7/24/13, routine audit by Research Compliance Officer showed five informed consent forms for a research study were not scanned to the respective patients' charts. Three were immediately found in a locked cabinet by the Clinical Research Coordinator for the study, which was used as a pick-up point by the scanning department, and had simply not been picked up. The remaining two pre-dated designation of the cabinet for use by scanning, and had been sent to the scanning room by interoffice mail. Scanning reported to Clinical Research Coordinator that they were never received. Preliminary investigation indicates they had been properly mailed using privacy envelopes inside interoffice mail envelopes, and were lost in interoffice mail. Both forms not recovered were for the same Veteran, re-consented on different dates due to study amendment. Further investigation and notification ongoing.
Outcome:
07/25/13: Due to full SSN and medical information being disclosed, Patient A will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.