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.
CONTRA COSTA REGIONAL 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 January 30, 2013. Also cited in 103 other reports.
Report ID: VSNE11, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: CONTRA COSTA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Issue:
Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to prevent unauthorized access and disclosure of a patient's (Patient 1) protected health information, when some of Patient 1's medical information was placed in Patient 2's transfer record to Another Facility. This failure allowed the unlawful or unauthorized access to Patient 1's protected health information.Findings:The California Department of Public Health was notified on 1/28/13 that a, "Breach of Protected Health Information (PHI)", occurred on 1/14/13.During an interview on 1/30/13 at 11:15 a.m., Administrative Staff A stated that she had been notified, on 1/24/13, by Another Facility Staff C, that Patient 1's "Precaution Level Documentation", which included Patient 1's name, age, date of birth, sex, medical record number, language spoken, and psychiatric observations; had been included in Patient 2's transfer paperwork to Another Facility.Administrative Staff A also stated that Another Facility Staff C discovered the breach of PHI, during a chart review, after Patient 2 was discharged from Another Facility on 1/24/13 and that policy and procedure was probably not followed during the transfer of Patient 2 to Another Facility.A review of the facility Policy and Procedure for, "Confidentiality of Patient/Client Information", (6/11), reveals the following: "PURPOSE To establish a department-wide policy that expresses the facilities commitment towards protecting a patient's right confidentiality...POLICY While individuals are patients/clients of the facilities, it is each employee's obligation to contribute to the provision of care in an environment that protects patient's/client's right to privacy. To accomplish this, all observations, and/or verbal, written, pictorial or photographic communications regarding patients/clients, in the absence of appropriate authority to access or release that information, should be safeguarded as 'CONFIDENTIAL'...RESPONSIBLE A. Employees 1. Each employee is responsible for keeping patient/client information confidential".A review of the facility Policy and Procedure for, "TRANSFERRING AND TRANSPORTING PATIENTS TO OUTSIDE FACILITIES", (5/2012), reveals the following: "V. PROCEDURE A. 15. The Charge Nurse is responsible for verifying the completeness of the discharge and transfer forms, prior to the patient's discharge".
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Health & Safety Code 1280