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 Southeast Network (VISN 7)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on July 31, 2012. Also cited in 225 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000078568, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 07 Decatur, GA
Issue:
In a mailing of a letter from the Atlanta VAMC to a family member, the same envelope also contained two memo's with evaluation approval's for two other Atlanta VA Patients. PHI included full names and last four of the SSN's. The family member who received the information stated in an email that she had redacted the information and send back, however, in a telephone conversation, the family member relayed that she would not send documents. She stated they would be destroyed. Update: 07/31/12:Two (2) Patients will be sent notification letters due to PHI being disclosed.
Outcome:
Staff involved were required to retake Privacy & HIPAA trng. Process was changed and SOP completed, all staff trained in new process.