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.
QUEEN OF THE VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER
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 January 27, 2015. Also cited in 17 other reports.
Report ID: V4N611.01, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: QUEEN OF THE VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER
Issue:
Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to prevent unauthorized access and disclosure of two patients' (Patients 10 and 11) protected, confidential information when discs with diagnostic imaging were sent to two facilities not involved in the patients' care and not authorized to receive the information. This failure allowed for potential unlawful or unauthorized use of the information and violation of the patient's right to privacy. Findings: During an interview on 2/03/15 at 1:30 p.m., the Privacy Officer confirmed that the patients' information had inadvertently been sent to incorrect facilities outside the system. Two patients were being transferred from the Emergency Department at the same time and the discs were placed, by Employee A, with the documents for the opposite patient. The Privacy Officer confirmed the information that was disclosed. Interview and review of the letter, on 2/03/15 at 1:30 p.m., submitted by the facility, revealed that the information included the patient's name, medical record number, date of service, type of the image.This incident was a result of the employee's failure to follow Policy C5-12 to double check the identification on all documents, prior to transferring them to a patient.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Health & Safety Code 1280