CONTRA COSTA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Report ID: 6R9S11.01, California Department of Public Health

Reported Entity: CONTRA COSTA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Issue:

Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to prevent unauthorized access and disclosure of Patient 16's protected, confidential health information, when the patient's Intravenous fluid was sent to a Skilled Nursing Facility with the wrong patient. This Facility was not involved in the patient's 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. This incident had the potential to result in administration of a medication to the wrong patient.Findings: During an interview on 8/26/14 at 10 a.m., the Compliance Officer confirmed that the patient's Intravenous Total Parenteral Nutrition was sent to a Skilled Nursing Facility with a patient being transferred to that facility. The fluid container was labeled for Patient 16 and was never administered to the patient who had been transferred. The Compliance Officer confirmed the information which was disclosed.The interview and a review of the letter submitted by the facility revealed that the information released included the patient's name, and medical record number as well as the information about the fluid.The incident occurred due to the staff person's failure to follow protocol to use two identifiers to verify and reconcile the correct identity, of the person to the name, when preparing materials for transfer.

Outcome:

Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Health & Safety Code 1280

Related Reports:

11 other violations reported on the same date. Note that other citations may be about the same event: 04VE11.01, 2X5M11.01, 5PGN11.01, G6H611.01, HY0X11.01, P6O211.01, RO0X11.01, SE3011.01, W8LM11.01, WPM311.01, WZHK11.01