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.
South Central VA Health Care Network (VISN 16)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on December 27, 2011. Also cited in 317 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000070094, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 16 Muskogee, OK
Issue:
A VA Patient who is a Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) employee, reported that his Protected Health Information (PHI) was revealed. He previously was admitted to the inpatient psychiatric ward in August 2011. He was working with a housekeeping employee and went on the psychiatric ward to make beds up (this was his CWT work assignment), and both were told by staff he should not be up there because it was too soon. He feels this is a privacy violation because his co-worker and the supervisor know he was a inpatient on the floor based on the conversation. Update: 12/27/11:Patient B will be sent a notification letter due to PHI being inappropriately disclosed.
Outcome:
Supervisor/Privacy Officer will provide in-service education on release of sensitive information.