EL CENTRO REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Report ID: G4LR11.01, California Department of Public Health

Reported Entity: EL CENTRO REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Issue:

Based on interviews, document and record review the hospital failed to ensure that one patient's (Patient A) personal and protected health information (PHI) was kept confidential and not given to another patient (Patient B) without Patient A's prior authorization.Findings:An on site investigation of an entity reported privacy breach was initiated on 2/26/13 at 1:00 P.M.An interview was conducted with the hospital's Compliance Manager/Privacy Officer (CM/PO) on 2/26/13 at 1:00 P.M. The CM/PO stated that Patient A and Patient B were both patients in the hospital's Emergency Department (ED) on 2/23/13. Upon discharge, Patient A's discharge instructions and a prescription for pain medication was given to Patient B.Patient A's personal and PHI that was given to Patient B included:Patient A's NameDate of ED VisitName of Four Laboratory testsName of One X-rayMedical Record NumberName of 14 Current medicationsPrescription for Tylenol with Codeine #3 300-30 mg (milligram) oral tablets #30 (a narcotic pain reliever)A review of the hospital's policy and procedure, entitled "Access to and Maintenance of the Health Record" and dated 7/21/11, indicated that "All individuals engaged in the collection, handling or dissemination of patient health information should protect the confidentiality of patient data."On 3/28/13 at 3:10 P.M., an interview was conducted with the Registered Nurse (RN 1) that discharged Patient B. RN 1 stated that both Patient A and Patient B were of similar age and ethnicity with similar medical complaints and their rooms were right next to each other in the ED. The ED MD handed discharge instructions to RN 1. RN 1, then, gave those discharge instructions to Patient B. RN 1 gave Patient A's discharge instructions to Patient B. RN 1 further explained that in preparing a patient for discharge from the ED, the RN is expected to:Verify the Patient's Name and Date of BirthReview Every Page of the Discharge Instructions with the PatientHighlight the Patient's Name on the Discharge InstructionsRN 1 acknowledged that he failed to follow the hospital's policy and procedure to maintain confidentiality of Patient A's personal and PHI while discharging Patient B.

Outcome:

Deficiency cited by the California Department of Public Health: Patients' Rights

Related Reports:

2 other violations reported on the same date. Note that other citations may be about the same event: MB1B11.01, ZSH811.01