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.
VA Southwest Health Care Network (VISN 18)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on November 30, 2012. Also cited in 228 other reports.
Report ID: PSETS0000083041, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 18 Big Spring, TX
Issue:
A letter was written to a staff members ex - wife which was addressed from his fiance that is also an employee at this facility. The staff member has a concern with individuals accessing his record that do not have a need to know and requested a sensitive patient access report to be ran. The report was ran and it was determined that the fiance, and 2 of the staff members that work under the chief that has the concern had accessed the record. Update: 12/18/12:A HIPAA notificaiton letter will be sent.
Outcome:
Processes are being changed to prevent this.The employee that accessed her fiances records has had her access revoked until further notice, and the other two employees that accessed their Chief's record without a need to know have been couseled and policies and procedures have been reviewed with each employee. The other two employees that accessed their supervisors record will have access removed until further investigation.