HHS OCR report · 2016
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Colorado
- Individuals affected
- 2,130
- Submission date
- Nov 8, 2016
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
On September 1, 2016, the Veteran’s Health Administration - Eastern Colorado Healthcare System, the covered entity (CE), discovered that one of its workforce members emailed a spreadsheet containing 2,130 veterans’ protected health information (PHI) to his personal email account and later published the PHI in a book on Amazon. The PHI included affected individuals’ full names, diagnoses, and the last four digits of their social security numbers. The Amazon book contained the personal telephon...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Other reports by VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
| Covered entity | State | Entity type | Individuals | Submitted | Type of breach | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System | CO | Healthcare Provider | 649 | May 5, 2010 | Theft | Archive (closed) |
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 2,130 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Nov 8, 2016.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, with the breached information located in: Email.
Is the investigation still open?
No. The report is in the OCR portal archive, which holds reports where OCR has closed its review.
Is a breach notice letter from VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System legitimate?
This site cannot verify letters. Check the sender against the organisation's official website and the HHS OCR breach portal, and avoid calling numbers or clicking links only listed in an unexpected message. See our guide on what to do after a data breach notice.
Source: HHS OCR Breach Portal, OCR export October 2026. Network USA is not affiliated with HHS or VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System.