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.
MARIN GENERAL 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 February 28, 2012. Also cited in 63 other reports.
Report ID: 4XUG11.01, California Department of Public Health
Reported Entity: MARIN GENERAL HOSPITAL
Issue:
Based on interview and document review, the hospital failed to prevent unauthorized access to one patient's protected health information (PHI).Findings:In interview on 2/28/12 at 2:00 p.m., Staff A stated that on 10/31/11, Patient 1 requested that a billing statement. On 11/1/11, the agency contracted by the hospital to bill self-pay patients sent Patient 1's bill to an incorrect address. The address on the envelope was that of Patient 2, who returned the bill to the billing agency on 11/11/11. The agency informed the hospital of their error on 11/14/11. Staff A stated that the agency's protocol requires a second person to verify that the content of any correspondence sent to a patient is correct, and the person who verifies that all is in order initials the envelope before it is sealed and mailed. The agency told Staff A that in this case, the second person initialed the envelope without verifying that the address was correct.Record review on 2/28/12 demonstrated that Patient 1's breached PHI consisted of name date of birth, address, date of service, tests performed, and attending physician. Record review on 2/28/12 confirmed that the Department and Patient 1 were notified of the breach on 11/17/11, within 5 business days of the hospital's discovery of the event.
Outcome:
Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Health & Safety Code 1280