[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 27, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4458-4462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-1689]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

ACTION: Notice of Amendment to System of Records.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e), 
notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is 
amending the system of records currently entitled ``Disaster Emergency 
Medical Personnel System (DEMPS)-VA'' (98VA104) as set forth in the 
Federal Register 65 FR 25531. VA is amending the system of records by 
revising the Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System Including 
Categories of Users and the Purpose of Such Uses, Retrievability, 
Systems Manager and Address, and Notification Procedure. VA is 
republishing the system notice in its entirety.

DATES: Comments on the amendment of this system of records must be 
received no later than February 26, 2010. If no public comment is 
received, the amended system will become effective February 26, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through http://www.Regulations.gov; by mail or hand-delivery to Director, Regulations 
Management (02Reg), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, 
NW., Room 1068, Washington, DC 20420; or by fax to (202) 273-9026. 
Comments received will be available for public inspection in the Office 
of Regulation Policy and Management, Room 1063B, between the hours of 8 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays). Please 
call (202) 461-4902 (this is not a toll-free number) for an 
appointment. In addition, during the comment period, comments may be 
viewed online through the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) at 
http://www.Regulations.gov.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) 
Privacy Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20420; telephone (704) 245-2492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DEMPS is to be used by the Emergency 
Management Strategic Healthcare Group (EMSHG) primarily in times of 
national emergencies caused by catastrophic events. This system may be 
used to respond to internal emergencies occurring within the Veterans 
Integrated Service Networks (VISNs).
    It is the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) policy to use 
DEMPS to respond to internal emergencies occurring within the VISNs. In 
order to provide sufficient health care medical personnel to respond to 
disasters, it is necessary to develop a nationwide VHA system of 
special-skilled personnel. These persons would be available to serve 
for limited periods of time in response to Presidentially-declared and 
internal VA national emergencies. VHA maintains a nationwide register 
of clinical personnel who volunteer their special medical skills in 
response to emergencies.
    Information in DEMPS comes from VHA full-time employees who provide 
the information voluntarily. Information collected and maintained in 
DEMPS includes personal and demographic information initiated, 
provided, and authenticated by the employee and contains the necessary 
approvals and signatures of supervisory officials. Information includes 
the employee's full name, station and VISN assignment, station address 
and phone number, home phone number, emergency contact and phone 
number, professional/job series, grade, specialty, current job 
assignment, description of advanced degree/certification (if any); 
physical limitations (if any); prior experience in disaster response 
(if any); specialized training; related military medical training, 
other relevant training and dates thereof. DEMPS constitutes a system 
of records under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) and data 
contained therein are considered private information.
    Routine use 7 was amended to disclose information to the National 
Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the General Services 
Administration (GSA) in records management inspections conducted under 
authority of Title 44, Chapter 29, of the United States Code (U.S.C.). 
NARA and GSA are responsible for management of old records no longer 
actively used, but which may be appropriate for preservation, and for 
the physical maintenance of the Federal government's records. VA must 
be able to provide the records to NARA and GSA in order to determine 
the proper disposition of such records.
    Routine use 20 was added to disclose information to other Federal 
agencies that may be made to assist such agencies in preventing and 
detecting possible fraud or abuse by individuals in their operations 
and programs. This routine use permits disclosures by the Department to 
report a suspected incident of identity theft and provide information 
and documentation related to or in support of the reported incident.
    Routine use 21 was added so that VA may, on its own initiative, 
disclose any information or records to appropriate agencies, entities, 
and persons when (1) VA suspects or has confirmed that the integrity or 
confidentiality of information in the system of records has been 
compromised; (2) the Department has determined that as a result of the 
suspected or confirmed compromise, there is a risk of embarrassment or 
harm to the reputations of the record subjects, harm to economic or 
property interests, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security, 
confidentiality, or integrity of this system or other systems or 
programs (whether maintained by the Department or another agency or 
entity) that rely upon the potentially compromised information; and (3) 
the disclosure is to agencies, entities, or persons whom VA determines 
are reasonably necessary to assist or carry out the Department's 
efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed compromise and 
prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm. This routine use permits 
disclosures by the Department to respond to a suspected or confirmed 
data breach, including the conduct of any risk analysis or provision of 
credit protection services as provided in 38 U.S.C. 5724, as the terms 
are defined in 38 U.S.C. 5727.
    The Report of Intent to Amend a System on Records Notice and an 
advance copy of the system notice have been sent to the appropriate 
Congressional committees and to the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) (Privacy 
Act) and guidelines issued by OMB (65 FR 77677), December 12, 2000.

    Dated: December 23, 2009.
John R. Gingrich,
Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs.
98VA104

SYSTEM NAME:
    Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS)-VA.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Records are maintained at each of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA) health care facilities. The address locations for VA 
facilities were listed in VA Appendix I of the biennial publication of 
the VA systems of record. Information from these records or copies of 
records may be maintained at the Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 
Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420; Network Directors' Offices; 
Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare Group Headquarters, VA 
Medical Center, Martinsburg, WV 25401; or with the Area Emergency 
Managers located at VA facilities.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    VA employees who make application to VA and are considered for 
deployment as health care providers primarily in times of national 
emergencies in response to domestic disasters resulting from natural 
and technological hazards, terrorist attacks, and the employment of 
nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons of mass destruction. These 
individuals may include audiologists, dentists, dietitians, expanded-
function dental auxiliaries, licensed practical vocational nurses, 
nuclear medicine technologists, nurse anesthetists, nurse 
practitioners, nurses, occupational therapists, optometrists, clinical 
pharmacists, licensed physical therapists, physician assistants, 
physicians, podiatrists, psychologists, registered respiratory 
therapists, certified respiratory therapy technicians, diagnostic and 
therapeutic radiology technologists, social workers, speech 
pathologists, contracting specialists, building maintenance, 
engineering, housekeeping, and other personnel associated with 
emergency management.

Categories of records in the system:
    Information on VA employees who make application to be deployed as 
health care providers primarily in times of national emergencies. This 
source document provides personal and demographic information 
initiated, provided and authenticated by the employee, and contains the 
necessary approvals and signatures of officials in the supervisory 
chain for the employee's

[[Page 4460]]

inclusion in the database. Information is provided on a voluntary 
basis. Information related to identifying and selecting individuals by 
the Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare Group, networks and 
medical centers eligible to support specific job tasking and 
assignments during either disasters internal to the VHA health care 
system, or external to VHA for which the VA is tasked to provide 
support under applicable authorities. Requests for issuance of travel 
orders and necessary reimbursement to VA for subsequent allocation of 
funds to home stations of deployed personnel are required to cover 
costs of travel, overtime and other expenses associated with individual 
deployments. This information is necessary to account for personnel 
deployed to support disasters, to identify personnel with specific job 
skills and experience that may be required to support contingency 
missions tasked to VA under the VA/Department of Defense (DoD) 
Contingency Plan, and for the development of plans at the corporate, 
network and medical center level for utilization of VHA personnel in 
support of VA internal and external disasters.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
    Authority for maintenance of this system of records is Executive 
Order 12656 dated November 18, 1988.

PURPOSE(S):
    The records may be used for such purpose as to provide information 
on sufficient health care medical personnel to respond to disasters, to 
provide information to the Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare 
Group primarily in times of national emergencies caused by catastrophic 
events, and to respond to internal emergencies occurring within the 
Veterans Integrated Service Networks.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories 
of users and the purposes of such uses:
    To the extent that records contained in the system include 
information protected by 45 CFR parts 160 and 164, i.e., individually 
identifiable health information, and 38 U.S.C. 7332, i.e., medical 
treatment information related to drug abuse, alcoholism or alcohol 
abuse, sickle cell anemia or infection with the human immunodeficiency 
virus, that information cannot be disclosed under a routine use unless 
there is also specific statutory authority in 38 U.S.C. 7332 and 
regulatory authority in 45 CFR parts 160 and 164 permitting disclosure.
    1. Selected information (such as name, station and telephone 
numbers) may be disclosed to other Federal departments and agencies 
that have an interest in or obligation to track or otherwise audit 
transfer of funds to VA for reimbursement of tasks.
    2. Statistical information and other data may be disclosed to 
Federal, State and local government agencies to assist in disaster 
planning and after-action reports.
    3. When a record on its face, or in conjunction with other records, 
indicates a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, 
criminal or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general 
statute or particular program statute, or by regulation, rule or order 
issued pursuant thereto, disclosure may be made to the appropriate 
agency, whether Federal, foreign, State, local, or tribal, or other 
public authority responsible for enforcing, investigating or 
prosecuting such violation or charged with enforcing or implementing 
the statute, or rule, regulation, or order issued pursuant thereto, if 
the information disclosed is relevant to any enforcement, regulatory, 
investigative or prosecutive responsibility of the receiving entity.
    4. Disclosure may be made to any source, such as a police 
department or the Federal Bureau of Investigation, from which 
additional information is requested to the extent necessary to identify 
the individual, inform the source of the purpose(s) of the request, and 
to identify the type of information requested such as DEMPS personnel 
present at a crime scene caused by terrorists.
    5. Disclosure may be made to an agency in the executive, 
legislative, or judicial branch, or the District of Columbia Government 
in response to its request, or at the initiation of VA, for information 
in connection with the selection of an employee for the deployment and 
future training of an individual, the letting of a contract, the 
issuance of a license, grant, or other benefits by the requesting 
agency, or the lawful statutory, administrative, or investigative 
purpose of the agency to the extent that the information is relevant 
and necessary to the requesting agency's deployment/Federal Response 
Framework needs.
    6. Disclosure may be made to a Member of Congress or to a 
congressional staff member in response to an inquiry of the 
congressional office made at the written request of the constituent 
about whom the record is maintained.
    7. Disclosure may be made to the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) in 
records management inspections conducted under authority of 44 U.S.C. 
2904 and 2906.
    8. Disclosure may be made to a Federal agency or to a State or 
local government licensing board, or to the Federation of State Medical 
Boards, or a similar non-government entity, provided the entity 
maintains records concerning individuals' employment histories, is 
engaged in the issuance, retention or revocation of licenses, 
certifications, or registration necessary to practice an occupation, 
profession or specialty. The disclosure is for the Department to obtain 
information relevant to a Department decision concerning the hiring, 
retention or termination of an employee, or to inform a Federal agency, 
licensing boards or to the appropriate non-government entities about 
the health care practices of a terminated, resigned, or retired health 
care employee whose professional health care activity so significantly 
failed to conform to generally accepted standards of professional 
medical practice as to raise reasonable concern for the health and 
safety of patients receiving medical care in the private sector or from 
another Federal agency. These records may also be disclosed as part of 
an ongoing computer matching program to accomplish these purposes.
    9. Information may be disclosed to private sector (i.e., non-
Federal, State, or local governments) agencies, organizations, boards, 
bureaus, or commissions (e.g., The Joint Commission) when the 
disclosure is in the best interest of the government (e.g., to obtain 
accreditation or other approval rating). When cooperation with the 
private sector entity, through the exchange of individual records, 
directly benefits VA's completion of its mission, enhances personnel 
management functions, or increases the public confidence in VA's or the 
Federal government's role in the community, then the government's best 
interests are served. Further, only such information that is clearly 
relevant and necessary for accomplishing the intended uses of the 
information as certified by the receiving private sector entity is to 
be furnished.
    10. Information may be disclosed to a State or local government 
entity or national certifying body that has the authority to make 
decisions concerning the issuance, retention or revocation of licenses.
    11. Information may be disclosed to the Department of Justice and 
United States Attorneys in defense or prosecution of litigation 
involving the United States, and to Federal agencies upon their request 
in connection with

[[Page 4461]]

review of administrative tort claims filed under the Federal Tort 
Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. 2672.
    12. Information on deployment to Federal/VHA emergencies, 
performance, or other personnel-related material may be disclosed to 
any facility with which there is, or there is proposed to be, an 
affiliation, sharing agreement, contract, or similar arrangement, for 
purposes of establishing, maintaining, or expanding any such 
relationship.
    13. Information concerning a health care provider's professional 
qualifications and clinical privileges may be disclosed to a VA/
emergency disaster-served client patient, or the representative or 
guardian of a patient who, due to physical or mental incapacity, lacks 
sufficient understanding or legal capacity to make decisions concerning 
his or her medical care, who is receiving or contemplating receiving 
medical or other patient care services from the provider when the 
information is needed by the patient or the patient's representative or 
guardian in order to make a decision related to the initiation of 
treatment, continuation or discontinuation of treatment, or receiving a 
specific treatment that is proposed or planned by the provider. 
Disclosure will be limited to information concerning the health care 
provider's professional qualifications (professional education, 
training and current licensure/certification status), professional 
employment history, and current clinical privileges.
    14. Information may be disclosed to officials of labor 
organizations recognized under 5 U.S.C. chapter 71 when relevant and 
necessary to their duties of exclusive representation concerning 
personnel policies, practices, and matters affecting working 
conditions.
    15. Information may be disclosed to the VA-appointed representative 
of an employee of all notices, determinations, decisions, or other 
written communications issued to the employee in connection with an 
examination ordered by VA under medical evaluation (formerly fitness-
for-duty) examination procedures or Department-filed disability 
retirement procedures.
    16. Information may be disclosed to officials of the Merit Systems 
Protection Board, including the Office of the Special Counsel, when 
requested in connection with appeals, special studies of the civil 
service and other merit systems, review of rules and regulations, 
investigation of alleged or possible prohibited personnel practices, 
and such other functions, promulgated in 5 U.S.C. 1205 and 1206, or as 
may be authorized by law.
    17. Information may be disclosed to the Equal Employment 
Opportunity Commission when requested in connection with investigations 
of alleged or possible discrimination practices, examination of Federal 
affirmative employment programs, compliance with the Uniform Guidelines 
of Employee Selection Procedures, or other functions vested in the 
Commission by the President's Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978.
    18. Information may be disclosed to the Federal Labor Relations 
Authority (including its General Counsel) when requested in connection 
with investigation and resolution of allegations of unfair labor 
practices, and in connection with the resolution of exceptions to 
arbitrator awards when a question of material fact is raised.
    19. Disclosure may be made to agency contractors, grantees, or 
volunteers who have been engaged to assist the agency in the 
performance of a contract service, grant, cooperative agreement, or 
other activity related to this system of records and who need to have 
access to the records in order to perform the activity. Recipients 
shall be required to comply with the requirement of the Privacy Act of 
1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a.
    20. Disclosure to other Federal agencies may be made to assist such 
agencies in preventing and detecting possible fraud or abuse by 
individuals in their operations and programs.
    21. VA may, on its own initiative, disclose any information or 
records to appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when (1) VA 
suspects or has confirmed that the integrity or confidentiality of 
information in the system of records has been compromised; (2) the 
Department has determined that as a result of the suspected or 
confirmed compromise, there is a risk of embarrassment or harm to the 
reputations of the record subjects, harm to economic or property 
interests, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security, 
confidentiality, or integrity of this system or other systems or 
programs (whether maintained by the Department or another agency or 
entity) that rely upon the potentially compromised information; and (3) 
the disclosure is to agencies, entities, or persons whom VA determines 
are reasonably necessary to assist or carry out the Department's 
efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed compromise and 
prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm. This routine use permits 
disclosures by the Department to respond to a suspected or confirmed 
data breach, including the conduct of any risk analysis or provision of 
credit protection services as provided in 38 U.S.C. 5724, as the terms 
are defined in 38 U.S.C. 5727.

DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES:
    Reports of all transactions dealing with data will be used within 
VA and will not be provided to any consumer-reporting agency.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, 
and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
    Automated records are maintained at all levels of management 
outlined in system location. Automated information may be stored on 
microfilm, magnetic tape, disk, or databases.

RETRIEVABILITY:
    Records are retrieved from the system by the name, professional 
title, VISN, home station, professional specialty, job position title, 
etc., of the individuals on whom they are maintained.

SAFEGUARDS:
    1. Access to VA working and storage areas in VA health care 
facilities is restricted to VA employees on a need-to-know basis; 
strict control measures are enforced to ensure that disclosure to these 
individuals is also based on this same principle. Generally, VA file 
areas are locked after normal duty hours, and the health care 
facilities are protected from outside access by the Federal Protective 
Service or other security personnel.
    2. Access to the Veterans Health Information Systems Technology 
Architecture (VistA) computer room within the health care facilities is 
generally limited by appropriate security devices and restricted to 
authorized VA employees and vendor personnel. Automatic Data Processing 
(ADP) peripheral devices are generally placed in secure areas (areas 
that are locked or have limited access) or are otherwise protected. 
Authorized VA employees may access information in the VistA system. 
Access to file information is controlled at two levels: The system 
recognizes authorized employees by a series of individually unique 
passwords/codes as a part of each data message, and the employees are 
limited to only that information in the file which is needed in the 
performance of their official duties.

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
    An automated database of DEMPS personnel will be maintained at the 
employing VA facility. If the individual transfers to another VA 
facility location, the name will be added to the database at the new 
location. Information stored

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on electronic storage media is maintained and disposed of in accordance 
with the records disposition authority approved by the Archivist of the 
United States.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
    Official responsible for maintaining the system: Director, 
Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare Group (EMSHG) (13C), VA 
Medical Center, Martinsburg, West Virginia, 25401.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
    Individuals who wish to determine whether this system of records 
contains information about them should contact the VA facility location 
at which they made application as a deployment volunteer, or are or 
were employed. Inquiries should include the employee's full name, date 
of application for employment or dates of employment, and return 
address.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURE:
    Individuals seeking information regarding access to and contesting 
of records in this system may write, call or visit the VA facility 
location where they made application for employment or are or were 
employed.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    (See Record Access Procedures above.)

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    The information will be provided by the individual VA employee and 
the VA medical facility (home station) or other VA location at which 
the employee was employed. EMSHG Headquarters will also provide 
information for updates of deployment status and availability.

[FR Doc. 2010-1689 Filed 1-26-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P