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.
Northwest Network (VISN 20)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on February 23, 2012. Also cited in 208 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000072108, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 20 Seattle, WA
Issue:
A Primary Care Clinic employee mis-mailed the lab results and a brief narrative (5 pages) concerning Patient A to Patient B. Patient B returned the information to the Primary Care Clinic, whose staff then forwarded the document to the Privacy Officer (PO). The lab results and narrative contained protected health information including statements that alluded to the fact that some of the results may be due to alcohol intake, including a statement to the patient that they "please decrease their alcohol intake." Update: 02/24/12:Veteran A will be sent a notification letter.
Outcome:
The document that was erroneously mismailed was retrieved. The Primary Clinic staff will have an in-service to address policies and procedures for mailing sensitive patient information and processes for quality assurance to decrease the possibility of a mis-mailing.