Palo Verde Hospital administrators released a statement Wednesday which concerns possible HIPAA violations . Hospital administrators released the statement , in addition to , mailing letters to patients . Palo Verde Healthcare District ( PVHD ) recently became aware of a breach of protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability ( HIPAA ) and is currently in the process of notifying the affected individuals and the Department of Health and Human Services regarding this breach . According to PVHD CEO Sandra Anaya PVHD is not clear on how the breach occurred , but PVHD first became aware of the matter in late December 2013 , when documents were produced to PVHD 's legal counsel by the attorneys for former administrators Peter Klune , Tara Barth , and Dennis Rutherford . Klune , Barth , and Rutherford are plaintiffs in a civil lawsuit filed against PVHD in July 2013 . " The lawsuit relates to the end of the plaintiffs ' employment as PVHD administrators . The patient - related documents were produced as evidence by the attorneys for the former administrators in the lawsuit , " said Anaya . " It appears that most of the health information taken by the former administrators is from the approximate time period of 2010 - 2012 . " " As a public hospital we consider the maintenance of patient privacy essential to quality health care . It 's not only the law of this state , it 's also a matter of common sense , " said Anaya . Anaya added that the hospital is evaluating its system and procedures relative to maintaining patient privacy . " This is in effort to ensure that an event like this does not ever occur again , " said Anaya . Individuals who were affected by the breach and the Department of Health and Human Services are being notified , by mail , of the incident with PVHD as the established party to contact for more information . Call 760 - 921 - 5257 or email hipaaprivacy@paloverdehospital.org with any questions . " We want to maintain the integrity of the relationship between our hospital and the community of patients which it has served for nearly half a century , " said Anaya . ;