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.
Veterans In Partnership (VISN 11)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on July 12, 2012. Also cited in 213 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000077759, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 11 Fort Wayne, IN
Issue:
A Veteran at a contracted Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) was waiting for his labs to print out. The CBOC employee told the Veteran she would get his labs, turned around to get the labs off the printer and when she turned back around, the Veteran was gone. She noticed the patient recall list on her desk was missing. She tried to find the Veteran in the parking lot but he was already gone. The Veteran had taken the papers to his personal physician's office. They made copies and then noticed the papers were not the Veteran's labs. They contacted the CBOC to let them know and stated they had already shredded the papers. They told the Veteran he would need to get his labs. The Veteran brought back the papers the next day. He is elderly and was still confused and did not understand why he had to come back for the labs when he already had them. He did not realize the papers he had were not his labs. All papers were returned. The Privacy Officer was notified 07/12/12, but needed additional information for the ticket. Update: 07/17/12: There was 75 total Veterans identified on the recall list. The list had the providers' name handwritten on it and next to each Veterans' name was medical information. Notification letters will be sent to all 75 Veterans.
Outcome:
The administrative supervisor and the executive director met individually with each employee and discussed the importance of being aware of and protecting patient PHI and private information. A "window block" was placed at check-in and discharge windows to prevent windows from opening completely thus deterring Veterans from reaching into the administrative workspace. Administrative assistants have been issued a folder to keep all private information in when working in possible view of Veterans. This privacy issue was put on all of the department staff meetings and to be reviewed again with the administrative assistants and all other CBOC staff.