"Veterans learn VA hospital dumped patient records with Social Security, personal info"

RallyPoint Shared Content — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 11:24:34 -0400

From: Fox News

A Veterans Affairs hospital in South Dakota has waited more than two months to notify 1,100 patients that files containing their Social Security numbers and other personal information were dumped in a trash bin.

The Rapid City Journal reports that the data breach at the VA Hot Springs hospital took place in May, but it wasn't until July 29 that anyone was notified. The paper said the breach was the most recent in a string of embarrassments that has engulfed the nation’s VA system over charges of doctored wait lists, poor care and wasteful spending.

The VA Black Hills Health Care System blamed the breach on an employee who mistakenly tossed the patient files in a Dumpster. The records were found two days later by another employee who fished them out of the trash and notified hospital security guards.

“The investigation found that during a regular office move, that the box of files were inadvertently throw in the receptacle, VA Black Hills spokeswoman Teresa Forbes told the paper, calling it “an unfortunate mistake.”

The VA alerted the 1,100 military veterans of the breach in letters mailed last Wednesday. The letter informed recipients they could request a free credit report to ensure their personal data was not being misused.

Forbes defended the lag in making the notification, saying that the VA was following procedures.

The files included names, Social Security numbers, phone numbers and addresses. They did not include medical histories.

The Journal said the VA is confident the information did not fall in to the hands of identify thieves.

That confidence did not satisfy one VA critic, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who said the breach demonstrated “gross mismanagement.”

He also said it was “unfortunately illustrative of the continued decline of the Hot Springs VA and the indifference shown to it by the Veterans Administration.”

The Black Hills health care system serves some 19,000 veterans living in South Dakota and four other states.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/08/03/sd-va-waits-more-than-two-months-to-notify-1100-veterans-data-breach/

Veterans learn VA hospital dumped patient records with Social Security, personal info

A Veterans Affairs hospital in South Dakota has waited more than two months to notify 1,100 patients that files containing their Social Security numbers and other personal information were dumped in a trash bin.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Aug 7 at 2015 11:28 AM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 11:28:00 -0400

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/are-you-in-the-black-hills-area-va-files-containing-personal-information-thrown-in-trash

Are you in the Black Hills area? VA: Files containing personal information thrown in trash |...

Officials with the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Black Hills say they're taking steps to notify veterans affected by an information breach after an employee accidently threw away personnel files on its Hot Springs campus. The Rapid City Journal reports the VA says someone tossed a box containing files with personal information into a trash bin on May 15 during an office move. A different employee noticed the box in the trash two days...

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Aug 7 at 2015 11:28 AM

SGT Ben Keen — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 11:28:53 -0400

The VA strikes again...

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 7 at 2015 11:50 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 11:50:12 -0400

Has the VA ever heard of a shredder?

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 7 at 2015 2:31 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 14:31:45 -0400

More criminal behavior from VA employees. Where is the accountability?

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 8 at 2015 2:14 AM

PO1 John Miller — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 02:14:23 -0400

And I bet no one will get in trouble over this...

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Jan 11 at 2018 8:44 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 20:44:14 -0500

That is illegal.