VA investigating 1,814 patient files found spread on office floor

VA investigating patient files found on floor
By Holbrook Mohr - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Sep 16, 2011 13:56:58 EDT
JACKSON, Miss. — The Veterans Administration announced an investigation Friday into whether medical or financial information from parts of three states was compromised after more than 1,800 files were found spread on an office floor at a veterans’ hospital in south Mississippi.

The investigation could affect veterans, deceased veterans or VA employees in seven counties in south Mississippi, four counties in south Alabama and seven counties in the Florida panhandle.

The VA said an employee’s office at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Biloxi was “inappropriately accessed without proper authorization” on July 21. Some of the 1,814 medical files contained veterans’ names, Social Security numbers, birthdates and medical diagnoses as well as employees’ personal information.

“Based on the medical center’s initial investigation, VA officials do not believe this information was used maliciously by others. However, the investigation also revealed all established privacy and information security regulations were not followed,” the agency said in a statement.
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