Several security guards from Yakima (Wash.) Valley Memorial Hospital inappropriately used the hospital's EHR system to obtain access to medical records of 419 patients.
In 2018, 23 security guards that worked in the hospital's emergency department used their login credentials to access patient medical records in Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital's EHR without a job-related purpose, according to a June 15 press release from the HHS.
The guards accessed patient information including names, dates of birth, medical record numbers, addresses, certain notes related to treatment and insurance information.
Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital has agreed to pay a $240,000 settlement to resolve the incident.
In addition to the payment, the hospital must also implement a plan to update its policies and procedures regarding protected health information as well as train employees on prevention.