South Central VA Health Care Network (VISN 16)

Report ID: SPE000000071379, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Reported Entity: VISN 16 Houston, TX

Issue:

Administrative Officer (AO) for the Neurology Care Line that while searching for records in her file cabinet she discovered several folders missing. One of the folders included copies of medical records on a patient. Other folders discovered missing included information on a physician who has since retired from the facility. The AO notified police, who asked her to provide a list of what is missing and name of individual whose medical record was in the folder. Update: 02/03/12:The AO said that she is the only one who has a key to the office. She did state that the physician who retired had a key and it was not returned when he left. The Privacy Officer (PO) asked her to immediately have her office and file cabinet rekeyed.02/03/12:Update: There are two Veteran/Patient files missing and the internal personnel record of the doctor. It is suspected that the doctor who no longer works for the VA and who failed to turn the key to the room in took the files. The doctor is the only one to benefit from taking the patient files since adverse information regarding him was contained in the files. The files were last seen in early January. There are no cameras in the area. The key to the office is a P-1 which is being rekeyed on 2/3/12. The doctor did not turn in his P-1 key when he separated from the VA-the key list from FMS shows that he paid for it. Therefore two (2) Veteran will receive a letter offering credit protection services.02/22/12:revised count is 3 veterans.

Outcome:

Office have been rekeyed.

Related Reports:

2 other violations reported on the same date. Note that other citations may be about the same event: SPE000000071382, SPE000000071385