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.
SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL HOSPITAL
Cited by the California Department of Public Health for violations of California’s Health and Safety Code relating to medical privacy during an inspection that began on December 4, 2013. Also cited in 27 other reports.
Report ID: EI8111.03, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL HOSPITAL
Issue:
Based on interview and record review, the hospital failed to protect confidential records pertaining to a patient's care during a hospital stay when a Patient List was stolen which contained confidential medical information for 25 patients. This had the potential for the fraudulent use of each of the 25 patients' medical information.Findings:During an interview on 12/4/13 at 9:00 AM, the hospital's Privacy Officer (PO) stated that on 10/31/13 she was notified of a theft, from a secured area of the hospital, which included work bags belonging to two Anesthesia residents. The resident (MD 1) assigned to the Trauma patients on that day, had a Patient List in his work bag. The other work bag did not contain any patient information.During the subsequent investigation, it was not until 11/14/13 that the PO was able to determine the exact nature of the medical information contained on the Patient List, and the names of the patients on the 10/23/13 List.Review of the reconstructed 10/23/13 List indicated the names of 25 patients and their confidential medical information such as medical history, current diagnoses, medical record number, and laboratory results.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights