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.
Desert Pacific Healthcare Network (VISN 22)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on September 27, 2011. Also cited in 129 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000067176, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 22 Los Angeles, CA
Issue:
On 09/14/11, an Environmental Management Service (EMS) worker sent an email containing patient names and room numbers over unsecured email, using both his VA and personal email, to several other VA employees. On 09/27/11, this worker then wrote a petition containing patient names and room numbers, which an LVN helped distribute to nursing staff. The LVN then returned the signed petition to the EMS worker. It is uncertain what he did with the petition after this. Both the email and the petition were complaining about the behavior of these particular Veteran patients in the nursing home. Update: 10/03/11:Waiting on the count of Veterans on the petition, as well as the disposition of the petition (destroyed, handed over to the PO, etc.)10/03/11:Three (3) Veterans will received notification letters due to PHI being exposed.
Outcome:
The employee has been notified by the Privacy Officer that no patient information may be sent outside VA and no patient information may be sent internally without using PKI. In addition, the employee has been advised to use Vista email and/or a Report of Contact to document patient incidents. The employees supervisor and the Chief of EMS has been notified. Notification Letters are being delivered to the Nursing Home Patients by the Privacy Officer.