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.
ST MARY 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 May 27, 2015. Also cited in 55 other reports.
Report ID: NT3I11, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: ST MARY MEDICAL CENTER
Issue:
Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure the confidential treatment of protected health information for Patient A, when a Collector (Employee 1)from the claims service department submitted Patient A's health information to the incorrect worker's compensation third party administrator. This resulted in the unauthorized release of Patient A's confidential health information to an unintended third party.During a phone interview on May 28, 2015 at 2:05 PM, with the Regional Compliance Director (RCD), to investigate an entity reported incident of a breach of Patient A's PHI, the RCD stated, Employee 1 failed to verify the documents before faxing them to the incorrect worker's compensation third party administrator. Employee 1 was use to handling claims with the other facility where the fax was misdirected. During a phone interview on June 8, 2015 at 10:05 AM, with the Employee 1, she stated faxed Patient A's documents to the wrong facility and did not verify the documents that were being sent to the facility.A review of Patient A's health information sent to the incorrect worker's compensation third party administrator included: Patient A's name, last name, address, date of birth, phone number, gender, account number, medical record number, emergency room services, diagnosis, wifes name, employer's name, physican's name, the name of the worker's compensation third party administrator,social security,number religion, mother's name and procedures.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights