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.
SAN ANTONIO REGIONAL HOSPITAL
Cited by the California Department of Public Health for a violation of California’s Health and Safety Code relating to medical privacy during an inspection that began on August 11, 2014. Also cited in 35 other reports.
Report ID: 0NYU11.01, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: SAN ANTONIO REGIONAL HOSPITAL
Issue:
Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure the confidential treatment of Patient A's protected health information (PHI), when a Patient Accounts Department clerk (Employee 1) printed Patient A's billing statement on the back of Patient B's billing statement. This breach of Patient A's confidential information resulted in the unauthorized release of PHI and placed Patient A at risk for identity theft.Finding: On August 14, 2014 at 9:10 AM, a phone interview was conducted with the Director of Nursing Operations (DNO) regarding an entity reported incident of a breach of PHI for Patient A. After Employee 1 printed Patient A's billing statement, the billing statement was placed back in the blank paper stack. When Employee 1 went to print the billing statement for Patient B, the bill printed on the backside of the bill for Patient A, which had been inadvertently put in the paper stack. Patient A's bill was then mailed to Patient B. The DNO stated, "Name, account number and mailing address are to be checked for each document to be mailed. Both sides are checked of documents with multiple pages, but single generic documents were not double checked for documentation on both sides."During a review of the documentation that had been mailed to Patient B, the document included, Patient A's billing statement dated June 25, 2009, which contained Patient A's name, home address, patient number, date of service, total charges and amount due.A review of the facility policy and procedure titled, "Confidentiality, Protecting Confidential Information," dated July, 2011, indicated, "Confidential information must be protected from unauthorized uses; disclosures....account numbers...must be protected to prevent financial fraud and identity theft."The failure of Employee 1 to ensure the document had only one Patient's bill before mailing, resulted in the unauthorized release of Patient A's PHI to Patient B.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights