EISENHOWER MEDICAL CENTER

Report ID: LS3I11.01, California Department of Public Health

Reported Entity: EISENHOWER MEDICAL CENTER

Issue:

Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to prevent unauthorized disclosure of protected health information (PHI) for one patient (Patient 1) when a laboratory employee who was faxing lab results for Patient 1, to his physician's office, faxed them to a different physician's office instead. This failed practice resulted in unauthorized persons having access to confidential heath information for Patient 1, and the potential for emotional and financial harm to Patient 1.Findings:During an interview with the facility Privacy Officer (PO) on October 6, 2014, at 11:20 a.m., the PO stated an employee in the laboratory was faxing lab results for Patient 1 to his physician, using the facility, "auto fax," system. The PO stated the employee pulled up the physicians by name, and selected a physician with the same last name, but a different first name, than Patient 1's physician. The PO stated the lab results were faxed to the wrong physician's office.The documents that were faxed to the wrong physician were reviewed on October 6, 2014. The documents contained the following PHI for Patient 1:1. Name;2. Date of birth;3. Sex;4. Medical record number;5. Account number;6. Date of lab draw; and,7. Coagulation study (clotting time) results.Failure by the laboratory employee to verify the correct name of the intended physician resulted in the fax being sent to the wrong physician's office, and unauthorized persons having access to PHI for Patient 1.

Outcome:

Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Health & Safety Code 1280

Related Reports:

1 other violation reported on the same date. Note that other citations may be about the same event: PK4C11.01