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 Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on April 13, 2012. Also cited in 369 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000074126, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 08 Orlando, FL
Issue:
In addition to her own test results, Veteran A also received Veteran B's test results in the same envelope. Veteran A contacted Telephone triage and was instructed to mail the letter and envelope to the facility Privacy Officer for review. Information compromised consisted of patients full name, mailing address, and test results. We believe this is connected to previously reported incidents attributable to the mailroom's Pitney-Bowes machine, in which a batcg job was of test results suffered sporadic "static cling" due to transient humidity drops that caused the papers to occasionally stick. We have cross-checked the test results in CPRS and confirmed this is from the same batch job run on 2 April. We will prepare a notification letter for Director signature. Update: 04/16/12:Veteran B will receive a letter of notification.
Outcome:
Contractor advised Mailroom staff to fan/flip paper stack prior to inserting into sorting machine. This as a means to discharge any static buildup in the paper. Humidity tolerances within mailroom noted to be in limits.