VA Healthcare System (VISN 10)

Report ID: SPE000000069224, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Reported Entity: VISN 10 Cincinnati, OH

Issue:

The daily patient list for one of the doctors was placed on their desk at 0800 in the morning. When the Doctor arrived the door was unlocked and the patient listing was missing. Update: 12/05/11:The Privcay Officer went to Clemont CBOC to investigate what may have occurred to the appointment listing. Nurse went over office procedures for placing daily appointments in Physicians office. Exam areas are locked and scan cards are needed to enter into exam area, meaning patients cannot enter exam area unless they are escorted. Appointment listing went missing between 0740 - 0800 prior to any patients arriving to the facilities. Upon arriving to work, the physician did not see the daily appointment listing. After seeing her first appointment, she notified the staff that she did not have her daily appointment listing. Staff did a search of the area, including the physician checking her office. The Clermont CBOC have sound procedures in place on how they provide daily appointment listing to the Physician. The Physician had five people listed on the appointment list. Since the container holding documents that needs to be shredded had a lock, we could not open it. Will have EMS provide the key to the Privacy Officer and will check the Shred Bins for missing appointment listing.12/7/11:Five Patients will receive an offer for credit protection services.

Outcome:

The Privacy Officer reviewed the procudures at the facility. The clinic has sound procedures in place on how they provide the daily listing to the physicians. It is still not clear how this was lost.