RIVERSIDE COUNTY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Report ID: P41P11.01, California Department of Public Health

Reported Entity: RIVERSIDE COUNTY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Issue:

Based on interview and record review the facility failed for Patient A, to ensure protected health information (PHI) was not released to an unauthorized recipient. This failure resulted in the potential misuse of Patient A's PHI.Findings:An interview was conducted with the facility's Privacy Officer (PO), on December 5, 2012, at 9:40 a.m. The PO stated Patient A's addressograph card was inadvertently used to stamp Patient B's discharge instructions. According to the PO, the instructions were correct for Patient B, but the name, medical record number, and date of birth were Patient A's. The PO stated Patient B returned the form to the facility and received corrected information. On December 5, 2012, a copy of the discharge instruction form was reviewed. The document, titled "Instructions to the Emergency Patient," was signed by Patient B on November 3, 2012. Patient A's name, date of birth, gender, date of service and medical record number were stamped at the bottom of the page. A copy of the letter sent to Patient A on November 13, 2012, was reviewed on December 5, 2012. The letter indicated an unauthorized disclosure of Patient A's information had occurred.On December 5, 2012, the facility's policy and procedure titled "Discharge of Patient," with a revised date of January 2009, indicated the "Nurse signs to indicate that she has provided the appropriate instruction."

Outcome:

Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Health & Safety Code 1280

Related Reports:

2 other violations reported on the same date. Note that other citations may be about the same event: KGN811.01, W3U211.01