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 Southeast Network (VISN 7)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on March 22, 2013. Also cited in 225 other reports.
Report ID: PSETS0000087096, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 07 Augusta, GA
Issue:
Three (3) Veteran/employee medical records are missing. The employees previously submitted a request for a copy of their medical records, and the volumes could not be located. The Health Information Management (HIM) department has been searched by the supervisory staff. The location and borrower of the records has not been updated in VistA since 2009 and the Veteran/employees have received treatment since the dates they were charged out. The records were previously stored together in a locked cabinet in the Chief's office. Update: 03/22/13:Three Veterans will be sent a letter offering credit protection services.05/08/13:This was determined to be HITECH reportable by VHA Privacy Office.
Outcome:
Records unable to be located. The likelihood of the records being removed from the facility is low, but this cannot be confirmed. The records would have been used by the medical center staff only, and not accessed by patients or visitors. Case turned over to the HIMS department to address the medical documentation issues this presents as well as the record retention issues under records management.