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.
Northwest Network (VISN 20)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on October 4, 2012. Also cited in 208 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000080892, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 20 Seattle, WA
Issue:
A VA social worker accidentally copied the information of Veteran A into the record of Veteran B. The social worker copied the contents of the HUD-VASH Entry Form into the wrong Veteran's record. The name, SSN, and DOB and responses (non-PHI) for Veteran A were copied erroneously into the record of Veteran B. Veteran B discovered the error when he received a copy of his medical record. He promptly alerted the social worker of the co-mingling of the individually-identifiable information of Veteran A into his record. The social worker has contacted the CPRS help desk to have the information pertaining to Veteran A removed from the record of Veteran B. Update: 10/05/12:Veteran B will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.
Outcome:
Social worker has been counseled regarding copying and pasting previously recorded information into a medical record. CPRS staff has removed the erroneous entry from the chart. No further remediation needed warranted.