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.
ST BERNARDINE 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 February 13, 2014. Also cited in 41 other reports.
Report ID: BFLP11, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: ST BERNARDINE MEDICAL CENTER
Issue:
Based on interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure the confidential treatment of Patient B's protected health information (PHI), when a registered nurse (RN 1) inadvertently placed a label with patient B's information on an intravenous (IV) bag for Patient A. This resulted in a breach of PHI for Patient B.Findings:On February 13, 2014 at 11:20 AM, an unannounced visit was made to the facility to investigate an entity reported incident of a breach of PHI for Patient B.During an interview with the Clinical Quality Coordinator on February 13, 2014 at 11:35 AM, she stated, " Patient A's family noted that the name on their loved one's IV bag was not his. Then when RN 2 was making her initial rounds, she noted that RN 1 had hung the correct fluid but had mislabeled the bag with Patient B's information which included: his name, and medical record number. She replaced it with the correct label."A review of the facility's policy and procedure titled, "Safeguarding PHI and Sensitive Information," dated January 17, 2012, indicated that "personal information included: the first and last name, and any combination of account numbers..." so the mislabeling of the IV bag would be a breach of Patient B's PHI.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights