Vancouver Radiologists

The covered entity (CE), Vancouver Radiologists, PC, on January 4, 2016, received telephone calls from a few patients that they received a postcard mammogram reminder, but with another patient’s name. The CE mailed 603 postcards which contained names, addresses, and generic reminders to schedule a mammogram. The CE submitted a breach notification report to HHS, affected individuals, and the media. In response to the breach, the CE stopped mailing the postcard reminder and revised its mailing procedures. The CE provided OCR with additional documentation specifically its HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices Policy, as relevant to this breach investigation. OCR obtained assurances that the CE implemented the corrective actions listed above. The CE also provided refresher reminders to all staff members about its HIPAA privacy policies and procedures.