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.
Mercy Medical Center
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 5, 2014. Also cited in 34 other reports.
Report ID: X6X711.01, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
Issue:
Based on staff interview, clinical record review, and administrative document review, the hospital failed to ensure confidential treatment of Patient's 1, 3, and 5's protected health information (PHI) when:1. Patient 1's PHI was given to Patient 2. (CA00409436)2. Patient 3's PHI was given to Patient 4. (CA00410860)3. Patient 5's PHI was given to Patient 6. (CA00410872)This failure resulted in unauthorized access to Patient 1, 3, and 5's PHI and the potential for abuse of that information.Findings:CA004094361. On 8/22/14 at 10 a.m., during a telephone interview, the Privacy Officer (PO) stated that on 8/7/14 a hospital employee (Registered Nurse) gave the discharge medicine reconciliation form for Patient 1 to Patient 2. The PO stated the employee should have double checked the paperwork before it was given to Patient 2, but this was not done.Patient 1's PHI breached included his name, date of birth, medical record number, account number, and a list of his current medications.The hospital's policy and procedure titled "Regulation, Release of Information Accordance with State" implemented 10/2012 indicated, "It is the responsibility of the hospital to safeguard the integrity of content and the physical property of the patient chart, both paper and electronic, against loss, defacement, tampering or use by unauthorized individuals."CA004108602. On 9/5/14 at 2:40 p.m., during a telephone interview, the PO stated that on 8/22/14 a hospital employee (Physician) gave a prescription containing Patient 3's PHI to Patient 4. The PO stated the employee should have double checked the name on the prescription before handing it to Patient 4, but this was not done.Patient 3's PHI breached included her name, medical record number, account number, date of birth, date of service, and physician's name.The hospital's policy and procedure titled "Regulation, Release of Information Accordance with State" implemented 10/2012 indicated, "It is the responsibility of the hospital to safeguard the integrity of content and the physical property of the patient chart, both paper and electronic, against loss, defacement, tampering or use by unauthorized individuals."CA004108723. On 9/5/14 At 2:50 p.m., during a telephone interview, the PO stated that on 8/22/14 a hospital employee (Nurse Practitioner) gave a mammography request form containing Patient 5's PHI to Patient 6. The PO stated the employee should have double checked the name on the form before giving it to Patient 6, but this was not done.Patient 5's PHI breached included her name, account number, medical record number, date of birth, date of service, and physician's name.The hospital's policy and procedure titled "Regulation, Release of Information Accordance with State" implemented 10/2012 indicated, "It is the responsibility of the hospital to safeguard the integrity of content and the physical property of the patient chart, both paper and electronic, against loss, defacement, tampering or use by unauthorized individuals."
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights