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 Heartland Network (VISN 15)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on May 24, 2012. Also cited in 149 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000075957, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 15 St Louis, MO
Issue:
A VA employee provided her lawyer with copies of several Veterans' medical records to use in her defense in an adverse administrative action. Update: 06/04/2012:The Privacy Officer obtained copies of partially redacted documents that Human Resources (HR) received from lawyer of employee. Also received copy of original letter from employee's lawyer in which he provides name of Veterans' and diagnosis. Diagnosis of one Veteran involves 7332 protected information.06/13/12:Inquiry concluded. The employee provided Veterans' documents to her lawyer. An attempt was made to redact the documents by either the employee or the lawyer (after receipt). The lawyer's letter to facility provides full names and medical histories. There was no attempt by the employee to contact the Privacy Officer (PO) or Regional Counsel (RO) prior to releasing documents to the lawyer. An attempt to obtain a statement from the HR representative identified in employee's statement was unsuccessful as he has since retired.
Outcome:
Employee resigning.