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 Health Care Upstate New York (VISN 2)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on November 9, 2011. Also cited in 132 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000068456, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 02 Syracuse, NY
Issue:
The Privacy Officer (PO) completed the fourth quarter Release of Information (ROI) audit and identified a total of 15 inappropriate disclosures of Veteran medical records due to invalid authorizations. Two of the inappropriate disclosures included the release of 7332-protected information (drug/alcohol abuse and HIV). Update: 11/09/11:Fifth-teen (15) Veterans will be sent a notification letter.
Outcome:
HIMS Manager and ROI Supervisor have provided education to the ROI clerks on the proper procedure for ensuring a HIPAA-compliant authorization is in place before releasing PHI and 732-protected information. In addition, written counseling was issued to 2 of the ROI clerks who inappropriately released the patients PHI.