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 February 24, 2012. Also cited in 208 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000072142, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 20 Portland, OR
Issue:
A Veteran presented the Privacy Officer (PO) with 5 pages of documents that had been mistakenly placed in an envelope mailed to him with blank copies of a nutrition journal sent to him by a VA employee. The 5 pages included completed copies of a 4 page VA Employees Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) application form and a 1 page Request for Leave or Approved Absence form. The FMLA form contains medical information about the employees mother and contains her full name. Update: 02/27/12:The employee's mother will receive a letter of notification.
Outcome:
The employee who mailed the documents has been counseled to review the contents of all letters being mailed out before the envelopes are sent out.