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.
ST JUDE MEDICAL CENTER
Cited by the California Department of Public Health for violations of California’s Health and Safety Code relating to medical privacy during an inspection that began on December 9, 2011. Also cited in 29 other reports.
Report ID: N1PT11.02, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: ST JUDE MEDICAL CENTER
Issue:
Based on review of hospital documents, the hospital failed to prevent the disclosure of Patient Ii's protected health information (PHI) to unauthorized individuals. In addition, the hospital failed to notify the Department of the breach of PHI within five business days of the hospital's knowledge of its occurrence.Findings:On 8/3/11, Patient Ii's PHI was disclosed to unauthorized individuals. Review of hospital documents showed a patient was transferred to another acute care hospital via ambulance with a transport nurse. The patient's hospital nurse gave an envelope with all the pertinent medical information to the ambulance transport nurse. In addition, the patient's hospital nurse also handed an envelope with the ambulance company's name on it to another hospital nurse, who thought the envelope contained medical information for that same patient. The envelope was also given to the ambulance transport nurse. However, when the patient and the ambulance transport nurse arrived at the receiving acute care hospital, the transport nurse discovered the second envelope contained PHI belonging to Patient Ii. The hospital was made aware of the breach of Patient Ii's PHI on 8/3/11. The Department was not notified of the breach until 8/22/11.During a telephone conference on 4/6/12 at 0930 hours, the hospital's Manager of Regulatory Compliance verified the above breach occurrence and notification dates.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Health & Safety Code 1280