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.
KINDRED HOSPITAL - ONTARIO
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 July 31, 2014. Also cited in 5 other reports.
Report ID: QHAI11, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: KINDRED HOSPITAL ONTARIO
Issue:
Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure the confidential treatment of protected health information (PHI) for Patient A, when a nurse case manager (nurse who coordinates long-term care for patients) (CM 1) faxed documentation containing Patient A's PHI to a private party instead of the intended recipient. This failure resulted in an unauthorized release of PHI for Patient A.Finding:On August 22, 2014 at 2:30 PM, a phone interview was conducted with the Director of Quality Management (DQM) regarding an entity reported incident of a breach of PHI for Patient A, detected on July 24, 2013. The DQM stated, "Fax numbers are always double checked, in this instance, the case manager was given the wrong fax number by the nursing facility. She dialed the number she was given". During a review of the documentation faxed to the private party in error, the documentation contained Patient A's name, address, date of birth, allergies, Social Security number, dates of service, diagnoses, medical record number, physician name, medical history, current medications and lab values.A review of the facility policy and procedure titled, "Safeguards: Faxing Protected Health Information," dated July, 2013, indicated, "Staff members should validate fax numbers before faxing PHI."The failure to ensure the fax number was for the intended recipient before faxing medical records, resulted in the unauthorized release of Patient A's PHI to an unintended private party.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights