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.
Northwest Network (VISN 20)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on March 17, 2011. Also cited in 208 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000059740, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 20 Portland, OR
Issue:
A Veteran received printed lab results dated March 3, 2011 in the mail and another Veteran's one page lab results report folded behind his. The Veteran did not notice the second page until the next day. He reported the identity of the other Veteran then shredded the document. A review of both Veterans notes in VistA (electronic medical record) shows that these reports were printed by the same VA employee within 3 minutes of each other. Update: 03/18/11:One Veteran will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.
Outcome:
Employees in the clinic advised of the error and the clinic manager is reinforcing the need to check all pages of outgoing mail to verify they belong to the recipient.