Accidental PHI Disclosure — What to Do
Step-by-step guide for staff who accidentally share Protected Health Information with the wrong person — how to report, document, and learn from it.
Updated May 15, 20261 min readHIPAAPHIcompliancedocumentationerror reportingincident reportingprivacyprivacy incident
What should I do if I accidentally share PHI with the wrong person?
PURPOSE:
To guide staff through reporting and documenting accidental disclosures.
Q&A
Q: What should I do first?
Document what happened:
- What PHI was shared
- Who received it
- How it was shared
- When it occurred
- How you realized the mistake
Q: Who should I notify?
Notify your supervisor immediately.
Timely reporting protects the participant, staff member, and the Hub.
Q: What should I avoid doing?
- Do not attempt to “fix” the disclosure by sending more information
- Do not delete CRM activity notes
- Do not contact the recipient without supervisor guidance
INTERNAL NOTES:
Follow supervisory instructions for additional reporting requirements.
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