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.
VA Health Care Upstate New York (VISN 2)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on March 10, 2011. Also cited in 132 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000059435, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 02 Syracuse, NY
Issue:
A nurse on the Inpatient Behavioral Health unit found a Medicine provider's inpatient list on the coffee table in the lounge/waiting room across from the elevators on 7 South. The list contained sensitive information for 22 patients, 2 of which included alcohol/substance abuse. Specifically, the list included patient name, last 4 SSN, allergies, code status, medications, history of present illness, problems and tasks. The run date/time on the list was 3/8/11 @ 7:30am, indicating it was printed then and likely that it was left out in the waiting room earlier that day. The Service Chief for Medicine has been notified and will be addressing further with the residents to reinforce required privacy practices. Update: 02/10/11:22 Veterans will receive a letter of notification.
Outcome:
Chief of Medicine educated residents and medical students on the need to properly safeguard all PHI, including inpatient lists, and properly discard them in the shredding bin when no longer needed.