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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The personal identifying information of thousands of New Mexico veterans may have been compromised because of a misplaced folder, New Mexico Veterans Affairs officials said Saturday.
Agency officials said they are notifying more than 2,600 veterans that a folder with their names and Social Security numbers was found in a women's restroom July 30 at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque.
The folder was discovered by a VA supervisor, who took it to the head of the agency's Health Information Management.
There have been no reports of any criminal activities so far, VA officials said. But as a precaution, veterans whose information was in the folder will be offered free credit monitoring services for one year. Any veterans with questions or concerns can contact the agency's privacy office.
The employee who misplaced the folder has since voluntarily resigned.
The disclosure of the incident comes a day after the agency announced a new acting director. Skye McDougall, the chief medical officer for the VA's health care network in Southern California and southern Nevada, was named Friday to assume the position. VA officials say McDougall's experience and leadership will be valuable assets as the health care system looks to improve access to care and the quality of care for veterans.
Following whistleblower complaints, investigators earlier this year uncovered large-scale improprieties in the way VA hospitals and clinics around the country scheduled veterans for appointments. Thousands of patients were forced to wait months for appointments.
While the list of patients waiting for appointments has been whittled down in New Mexico, U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., has said she's disappointed the VA has yet to hire a permanent director.
Lujan Grisham said long-term reforms are needed to transform the system.
"I am hopeful that Dr. McDougall will begin the transformation, but I don't believe the VA can win back the trust of veterans without bold, permanent leadership that is committed to reform," the congresswoman said earlier this week.
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