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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 Heart of Texas Health Care Network (VISN 17)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on March 24, 2011. Also cited in 122 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000059968, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 17 Temple, TX
Issue:
On March 23, 2011, a file clerk at the VHA in Temple, TX mailed a box containing medical files to the Records Center & Vault (RC&V) in Neosho, Missouri. It was delivered by USPS on March 24, 2011. The box was not taped shut prior to shipping. It was open when delivered and it appears that the only steps taken prior to shipping was folding the lids over. The box contains files for nine (9) veterans. It is unknown how many files were mailed, if any files are missing or if any documents out of the files received are missing. The files are medical files and normally contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and financial information. This ticket will be assigned to the Temple Facility for investigation. Update: 03/28/11:Records staff is currently reviewing a list of requests in an attempt to determine which records were mailed.03/29/11:Medical Records staff has printed transfer request was compared to the records which were received and all records were accounted for in the box. Due to the type of shipping label that was used, UPS opened and inspected the shipping container causing concern that records may have been missing. 03/29/11:Nine Veterans will receive a letter offering credit protection services.
Outcome:
All ROI personnel responsible for shipping records containing PHI/PII have been educated/instructed on not to use UPS provided boxes to ship medical records to the records center or any other location. They all understand what caused this shipping error and have acknowledged an understanding of this guidance.