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Based on record review and interviews, the hospital failed to protect the confidentiality of one (patient #2) of eight patients' medical records reviewed when patient #1 was discharged with
copies of patient #2's clinic record in her discharge folder. Review of this incident revealed that there was a potential for the hospital's noncompliance to impact all patients' medical records. Findings include:

Patient #1 and patient #2 were admitted to the hospital's labor and delivery unit on 11/27/11 prior to the the birth of their babies. The practice on the unit is to print copies of patients' clinic records prior to a patient's admission to the unit so that the care team can review it. The clinic record is then scanned into the patient's electronic record at the time of the patient's admission to the labor and delivery unit.

Both patients were given admission folders that contained patient rights information when they were admitted to the labor and delivery unit. The following day, patient #1 and patient #2 were transferred to different postpartum units, but the units are located on the same floor. Both patients were given discharge folders that contained discharge orders and care instructions. The two patients were discharged one day apart from their postpartum units.

Patient #1 was discharged on 11/30/11 and when she arrived home she discovered copies (there were six pages) of patient #2's clinic record in her discharge folder.

Employee (B)/Patient Safety Risk Manager was interviewed in person on 8/16/12 at 9:00 a.m. and stated patients are provided patient rights information upon admission and discharge/care instructions at the time of discharge. The Birth Center does not provide patients with copies of their medical records. The Medical Records Department handles requests for copies of patients' medical records. Employee (B) determined that patient #2's clinic record copies were filed in error with patient #1's patient rights or discharge information. The hospital was not aware of the incident /error prior to this investigation.