EISENHOWER MEDICAL CENTER

Report ID: V7Z111.01, California Department of Public Health

Reported Entity: EISENHOWER MEDICAL CENTER

Issue:

Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure all patient protected health information (PHI) was kept protected, which resulted in the unauthorized access of the patient's confidential information (Patient 5). Patient 5's confidential information was given to Patient 6 when Patient 6 was given a laboratory test requisition form on May 21, 2012, by a medical assistant at a facility primary care clinic. This resulted in the unauthorized disclosure of Patient 5's protected health information (PHI).Findings:On August 27, 2013, at 10:35 a.m., an interview was conducted with the Compliance Specialist (CS). She stated: a. On May 21, 2012, Patient 6 was given a laboratory test requisition form by a medical assistant at a facility primary care clinic.b. On May 22, 2012, Patient 6 returned to the facility primary care clinic with the laboratory test requisition form stating the requisition form was not his and he requested his laboratory test requisition form.c. The laboratory test requisition form given to Patient 6 on May 21, 2012, had Patient 5's name and PHI.d. The facility primary care clinic retrieved the laboratory test requisition form belonging to Patient 5 from Patient 6.Patient 6 received and had an opportunity to view Patient 5's PHI, which included name, date of birth, address, telephone number, physician's name, diagnosis, gender, insurance information to include policy numbers, laboratory tests to be performed and social security number.Patient 5 was informed of the disclosure of her protected health information (PHI) via a letter dated and mailed on May 30, 2012, to her last known address.The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) was notified via a facsimile received on May 30, 2012, and a letter dated and mailed on May 30, 2012, of the unauthorized access of Patient 5's PHI.The facility policy and procedure titled "Patient Identification Policy and Procedure" revised January 3, 2011, revealed "... Patient identification at (name of facility) must be performed utilizing at least two of the following patient identifiers prior to any examination, provision of services, communication, treatment or procedure. ..."The facility policy and procedure titled "Information Privacy" reviewed/revised December 19, 2011, revealed "... (facility name) will take all necessary steps to avoid unauthorized or unlawful access, use or disclosure of protected health information ... Whenever possible, the Information Privacy Officer will contact the individual or organization to whom the information was inappropriately or unlawfully accessed, used or released and requested that no further access, use or disclosure of the information is made and to return or destroy the information. The Information Privacy Officer will contact the Department of Public Health and report the breach within (5) five days of discovery. The Information Privacy Officer will contact the patient within (5) five days of discovery to inform him or her of the unauthorized access, use of disclosure and the plan or step's taken to mitigate it. ..."

Outcome:

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

Related Reports:

3 other violations reported on the same date. Note that other citations may be about the same event: 4ZO211.01, JHR211.01, SMOZ11.01