DOCTORS MEDICAL CENTER

Report ID: 4ORK11.01, California Department of Public Health

Reported Entity: DOCTORS MEDICAL CENTER

Issue:

Based on staff interview and review of facility documents, the facility failed to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of Patient A's health information (PHI) when a non- facility employee faxed Patient A's transfer information to a local resident instead of the intended nursing home facility. Findings: On 2/10/12 at 2:10 p.m., the facility's investigation of the incident was reviewed with the Compliance Officer (CO). Plans were being made to transfer Patient A to a nursing home. A review of the investigation showed that Patient A's PHI was faxed to a private residence fax machine instead of the intended nursing home. Documents faxed to the residence contained Patient A's transfer form and discharge medication list. On 2/10/12 at 2:20 p.m., the CO stated that her investigation showed that the information had been faxed by the facility's case manager (CM) and by the clinical liaison (CL) to the nursing home from different fax machines in the facility. The CO stated the CL will review a potential patient transfer and fax information to the nursing home for review. The CO stated that the CM will utilize the fax machine in the CM's office, but the CL sometimes faxes from the unit where the patient is on. The CO stated that after that episode, the CL is to only use the CM's fax to send patient information to the nursing home.

Outcome:

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

Related Reports:

27 other violations reported on the same date. Note that other citations may be about the same event: 1IM411.01, 33TC11.01, 33TC11.02, 4Q6711.01, 5T7711.01, 5T7711.02, 90TJ11.01, 90TJ11.02, 90TJ11.03, DFW111.01, F00W11.01, F00W11.02, GJM211.01, GJM211.02, GJM211.03, KCG511.01, KCG511.02, O4DH11.01, O4DH11.02, O4DH11.03, SMT911.01, SMT911.02, W1OF11.01, W1OF11.02, W1OF11.03, WX4B11.01, WX4B11.02