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 Heartland Network (VISN 15)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on March 4, 2013. Also cited in 149 other reports.
Report ID: PSETS0000086335, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 15 Poplar Bluff, MO
Issue:
A Veteran employee forwarded an e-mail from her supervisor to the Privacy Officer (PO). Her supervisor told her that "You were checked in as a Veteran to see your provider at 10:00 AM so your leave started at 10:)) AM" The Veteran employee feels that the supervisor got into her chart and found out she had an appointment with a VA provider and .additional medical information Update: 03/04/13:The PO ran the Sensitive Patient Access Report (SPAR) for the Veteran employee. There are some names on the report that the PO cannot explain why the employees were in her record. The PO will send this information to the supervisors of those employees to determine the reasons why they were in this employee's records. Of note, the supervisor of this Veteran employee's supervisor is listed among those that the PO cannot explain why she was in the Veteran employee's record; however the employee's immediate supervisor has not access the employee's record. 03/06/13:The supervisor's supervisor did not have a legitimate reason to access the employee's medical records. The Veteran employee will receive a HIPAA letter of notification.05/16/13:This was determined to be HITECH reportable by VHA Privacy Office.
Outcome:
Education was given to employee by supervisor.