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.
VALLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
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 September 19, 2014. Also cited in 40 other reports.
Report ID: IZPZ11, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: CHILDRENS HOSPITAL CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
Issue:
Based on staff interview, clinical record and administrative document review, the facility failed to keep Protected Health Information (PHI) confidential when Patient 1's PHI was faxed (transmitted a copy of printed matter electronically) to an incorrect fax number rather than to the intended facility. The PHI disclosed included Patient 1's name, address, date of service, medical record number, lab results, and CT (computerized tomography, which is an X-ray that produces stereographic images) scan results.This failure placed Patient 1's PHI at a potential risk for unauthorized use.Findings:On 9/19/14 at 4:12 p.m., during an interview, the Accreditation Coordinator (AC) stated on 9/4/14, the Health Information Coordinator (HIM) received a request from Patient 1's parent to fax Patient 1's PHI to another facility. The AC stated the HIM did not verify the fax number with the facility prior to transmitting the fax as per policy. The HIM did not contact the facility after sending the fax to verify receipt of the PHI. The AC stated the hospital policy is to verify fax numbers prior to and after sending a fax to a fax number that is not pre-programmed into their fax machine. The AC stated the fax was verified received by an unknown fax machine. The facility policy and procedure titled, "Facsimile Machines" dated 8/11, indicated, "... Policy...All individuals using a facsimile machine to transmit either patient or organizational information will be accountable for ensuring that the information is transmitted to the appropriate destination... Procedure... 2... A... When confidential information is faxed to a destination number that is not pre-programmed, the fax machine operator shall be responsible for double checking the accuracy of the number in the machine's display before sending the fax. When faxing to an external location for the first time, [the facility] staff are strongly encouraged to follow-up the transmission with a telephone call to confirm that the receiving party did, in fact, receive the facsimile..."
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights