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 March 7, 2014. Also cited in 34 other reports.
Report ID: Y3X011, 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 1 and 3's protected health information (PHI) when:1. Patient 1's PHI was given to another patient. (CA00384817)2. Patient 3's PHI was given to another patient. (CA00386512)This failure resulted in unauthorized access to Patient 1 and 3's PHI and the potential for abuse of that information.Findings:CA00384817:1. On 3/7/14 at 1:45 p.m., during a telephone interview, the Privacy Officer (PO) stated on 1/4/14, a hospital employee (licensed Nurse) gave Patient 1's PHI to Patient 2. The Privacy Officer stated that the employee should have double checked material before giving it to the patient, but this was not done.Patient 1's PHI breached included her name, date of birth, physician, lab results and vital signs.The hospital's policy and procedure titled, "(HIPAA) Regulation, Release of Information in Accordance with State and Federal" dated 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."CA00386512:2. On 3/7/14 at 2 p.m., during a telephone interview, the PO stated on 1/24/14, a surgeon gave an oral report of Patient 3's surgery to the father of Patient 4. The surgeon also gave a CD-ROM disc containing the results of imaging studies done on Patient 3 to the father of Patient 4. The PO stated the surgeon should have made sure he was talking to the correct patient's family, but this was not done.Patient 3's PHI breached included his name, physician, and the results of his surgery and imaging studies.The hospital's policy and procedure titled, "(HIPAA) Regulation, Release of Information in Accordance with State and Federal" dated 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