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.
Sierra Pacific Network (VISN 21)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on July 11, 2012. Also cited in 141 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000077718, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 21 Honolulu, HI
Issue:
A Veteran requested copies of his medical records but was sent 3 other Veterans' records by mistake. Copies were turned into the Guam VBA Office and then sent by UPS to VA PIHCS Privacy Officer (PO) . The PO has not received copies to verify information yet. The records contain the other Veterans' names, full SSNs, dates of birth, and protected health information. Update: 07/16/12:The three Veterans will receive letters offering credit protection services.07/17/12:Upon receipt of the documents, the PO found that one of the documents only contained the doctor's name on patient notes. Therefore two Veterans will receive letters offering credit protection services.
Outcome:
Employee that was responsible for co-mingling paperwork was made to re-take privacy training. Attention to detail was reinforced.Employee that mis-mailed the documents also re-took privacy training in TMS and attention to detail was re-inforced. The scanning and release of information department has/will implement additional checks and balances to reduce and/or eliminate occurences of mis-mailings.