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.
COMMUNITY HOSPITAL OF SAN BERNARDINO
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 April 21, 2015. Also cited in 46 other reports.
Report ID: 13IY11.01, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: COMMUNITY HOSPITAL OF SAN BERNARDINO
Issue:
Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure the confidential treatment of Patient A's protected health information when a registered nurse (RN 1) failed to verify Patient A with two patient identifiers prior to providing discharge instructions to the parent. Patient A's discharge instructions were given to Patient B's parent. This resulted in the unauthorized disclosure of Patient A's discharge instructions and prescription to the mother of Patient B.Findings:During an interview on May 22, 2015 at 8:40 AM, RN 1 stated that the incident occurred on July 26, 2014, during the night shift, in the waiting area for the Results Are Pending (RAP) room, located in the fast track area of the emergency department. When asked how the incident occurred with the two patients (Patient A and Patient B) with the same last name, RN 1 stated, "I brought out the chart [to the waiting area] and made an initial call out with the first and last name and a woman came up to me and said that was [for] her [child]." When asked if he checked the armband of the child (Patient B), RN 1 stated, "No, I regret not doing that." When asked how the HIPAA breach was detected, RN 1 stated, "About an hour later, another employee (RN 2) stated to me that the parent (Patient A) was frustrated and had been waiting for discharge instructions. I went out to discuss the discharge with the mother and realized it was a different patient."A review of the facility documents indicated it was Patient B's mother who spoke with RN 1 when he called out the first and last name. Patient A's mother was the parent who expressed frustration for waiting to RN 2.A review of the facility documents indicated that Patient A and Patient B were both children with the same last name. The medical record number, gender, first name, date of birth, address, phone number and next of kin are different for Patient A and Patient B.A review of the documents breached indicated Patient A's name, medical record number, medication, gender, diagnosis and discharge instructions were given to Patient B's parent.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights