UCLA HEALTH SYSTEM STATEMENT ON RECORDS BREACH INVESTIGATION, RESOLUTION AGREEMENT. - States News Service

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The following information was released by UCLA Health System:

Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights into alleged federal privacy and/or security violations between 2005 and January 2008, the UCLA Health System has agreed to enter into a resolution agreement/corrective action plan with the OCR and pay a settlement of $865,500. The UCLA Health System issued this statement:

The UCLA Health System considers patient confidentiality a critical part of our mission of patient care, teaching and research. Over the past three years, we have worked diligently to strengthen our staff training, implement enhanced data security systems and increase our auditing capabilities.

Working collaboratively with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the UCLA Health System continues to take measures to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to protecting our patients' privacy. Everyone, from nurses and doctors to staff and students, views patient confidentiality as a constant, high priority and an essential component of patient care.

'Our patients' health, privacy and well-being are of paramount importance to us,' said Dr. David T. Feinberg, CEO of the UCLA Hospital System and associate vice chancellor for health sciences. 'We appreciate the involvement and recommendations made by OCR in this matter and will fully comply with the plan of correction it has formulated. We remain vigilant and proactive to ensure that our patients' rights continue to be protected at all times.'