EISENHOWER MEDICAL CENTER

Report ID: 3QWE11.01, California Department of Public Health

Reported Entity: EISENHOWER MEDICAL CENTER

Issue:

Based on interview and facility document review, the facility failed to prevent unauthorized access and/or disclosure of Patient 1's medical information, when a lab result was inadvertently faxed to an unintended physician's office.Findings:On February 22, 2013, at 10:30 a.m., the Director of Compliance (DC), was interviewed. The DC stated that on November 30, 2012, a Certified Phlebotomist Technician (CPT), received a requisition from Physician 1 for Patient 1's lab draw. The CPT entered the wrong physician name (Physician 2) into the system, which automatically generated the fax number for Physician 2. The DC stated when Physician 2's office received the lab results for Patient 1 they notified the facility of the error.A copy of the one page report of lab results that were inadvertently faxed was reviewed. In addition to the lab results, the report contained Patient 1's name, date of birth, medical record number, and account number.A review of the facility policy, "HIPPA - [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] - Use and Disclosure of Protected Health Information (dated November 18, 2011)," was reviewed . The policy defined Protected Health Information (PHI) as, "Protected Health Information (PHI) - Individually identifiable health information transmitted or maintained in any form or medium, including oral, written and electronic...Information is considered PHI where there is a reasonable basis to believe the information can be sued to identify an individual." The policy indicated, "It is the policy of [ facility name] that the confidentiality of Protected Health Information contained in records and collected pursuant to treatment will be protected to the fullest extent possible. To maintain this confidentiality [facility] staff may not disseminate PHI unless it is pursuant to a valid request, a valid authorization or a legally recognized exception to this requirement... To protect the patient's right to privacy, at no time will names or information be shared with any person who does not have a need to know in order to provide patient care."The facility policy titled, "Information Privacy (dated December 19, 2011)," was reviewed and indicated, "...Unauthorized of Unlawful Disclosure: is the release, transfer, provision of access to, or providing in any other manner of PHI outside of the organization, to parties without a treatment, payment or hospital administrative purpose..."

Outcome:

Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Health & Safety Code 1280

Related Reports:

1 other violation reported on the same date. Note that other citations may be about the same event: GH7011.01