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.
South Central VA Health Care Network (VISN 16)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on December 10, 2012. Also cited in 317 other reports.
Report ID: PSETS0000083475, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 16 Fayetteville, AR
Issue:
A courier lost 120 travel vouchers. The vouchers contain the Veterans' name, full SSN and date of birth. Update: 12/17/12:The contract courier picked the vouchers up from a Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) on 11/20/12 and the vouchers have been lost since then. After a thorough search, they have not been found. All 120 Veterans will be offered credit monitoring services.12/19/12:The Privacy Officer (PO) has contacted the VA Police and left a voice mail and will call again today. The travel vouchers were cancelled and new travel vouchers were issued. The missing vouchers cannot be claimed for cash.01/10/13:The PO is working on the letters and expects that they will be mailed on 01/31/13.
Outcome:
A new contract has been awarded and started on 1/2/13. Until the new contract is started the travel vouchers will be sent by UPS and not sent by courier. A meeting was set up on Monday 12/17/12 with the new contract courier and the protection of PHI will be a topic that will be brought up and addressed. Depending on the processes of the new courier contract at the very least we set up a system of hand off signatures requiring that employee that gives vouchers to courier will sign, courier will sign receipt and when brought to VHSO employee will sign receiving vouchers and then travel staff will sign when received.