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.
Mercy Medical Center
Cited by the California Department of Public Health for a violation of California’s Health and Safety Code relating to medical privacy during an inspection that began on March 21, 2014. Also cited in 34 other reports.
Report ID: K1PJ11, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
Issue:
Based on staff interview, clinical record review, and administrative document review, the facility failed to ensure confidential treatment of protected health information (PHI) when:1. Patient 1's Patient Rights form was given to Patient 2's family member. (CA00389934)2. Patient 3's discharge sheet was given to Patient 4. (CA00391275)This failure resulted in unauthorized access to Patients 1 and 3's confidential information and the potential for abuse of that information.Findings:CA003899341. On 3/21/14 at 9:55 a.m., during an interview, the Privacy Officer (PO) stated the Emergency Department Access Care Representative (EDACR) printed the facility form titled, "An Important Message From Medicare About Your Rights" with Patient 1's PHI printed on the form. The EDACR gave the form to Patient 2's family member. The PO stated the EDACR did not double check the paperwork to ensure she was giving it to the correct patient. The PHI disclosed included Patient 1's name, birth date, medical record number, and service account number.The facility policy and procedure titled, "PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION, SAFEGUARDING OF", revised 12/09, indicated, " It is the policy of [Hospital] to comply with state and federal regulations regarding the safeguarding of physical and electronic form of Protected Health Information (PHI). Staff shall provide appropriate access to its information based on a need-to-know basis while preserving its confidentiality and integrity."CA003912752. On 3/21/14 at 10:05 a.m., during an interview, the Privacy Officer (PO) stated Telemetry Registered Nurse (TRN) gave Patient 3's discharge sheet to Patient 4. The PO stated the TRN should have double checked the name on the paperwork before she gave it to Patient 4, but did not. The PHI disclosed included Patient 3's name, birth date, medical record number, and service account number.The facility policy and procedure titled, "PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION, SAFEGUARDING OF", revised 12/09, indicated, " It is the policy of [Hospital] to comply with state and federal regulations regarding the safeguarding of physical and electronic form of Protected Health Information (PHI). Staff shall provide appropriate access to its information based on a need-to-know basis while preserving its confidentiality and integrity."
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights