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.
SUTTER COAST HOSPITAL
Cited by the California Department of Public Health for a violation of California’s Health and Safety Code relating to medical privacy during an inspection that began on August 28, 2014. Also cited in 58 other reports.
Report ID: 8AEN11.01, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: SUTTER COAST HOSPITAL
Issue:
Based on interview and document review, the facility failed to prevent unauthorized disclosure of Patient 49's confidential health information, when the adult patient's personal, medical information was shared with a person visiting at his bedside, but not authorized to have the information. This failure resulted in a violation of the patient's right to privacy.Findings:During an interview on 8/28/14 at 10 a.m., the Privacy Officer stated that the incident occurred when an employee began to discuss the patient's surgery, at his bedside, while there was a visitor present. The Privacy Officer confirmed the events of this breach.Review of documents, provided by the facility, revealed that the patient had specifically asked that the information not be shared. This request was written on a post-it note which apparently was lost. As an adult patient, the information was protected unless authorization had been given to release the information. This incident occurred due to the failure of the facility employees to identify the privacy of the patient and to have failed in the extra step to ensure that a patient's specific request be honored.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Health & Safety Code 1280