105VA131
System location:
Character-based data from Agent Orange Registry (AOR) Code Sheets are maintained in a registry dataset at the Austin Automation Center (AAC), 1615 Woodward Street, Austin, Texas 78772. Since the data set at the AAC is not all-inclusive, i.e., narratives, signatures, etc., noted on the code sheets are not entered into this system, images of the code sheets are maintained at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Environmental Agents Service (131), 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420. These are electronic images of paper records, i.e., code sheets, medical records, questionnaires and correspondence that are stored on optical disks.
The secure web-based data entry system is maintained by the AAC and provides retrievable images to users. The optical disk system is currently being utilized where there is no access to the secure web- based system. However, the optical disk system is scheduled to be discontinued in 2004 and all access to the AOR system will be through the secure web-based data entry system.
Categories of individuals covered by this system:
Veterans who may have been exposed to dioxin or other toxic
substance in a herbicide or defoliant during:
- Active military service in the Republic of Vietnam between 1962 and 1975,
- The Republic of Korea between 1968 and 1969,
- The conduct of or as a result of testing, transporting or spraying herbicides for military purposes, and
- Have had an AOR examination at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility.
Categories of records in the system:
These records may contain the following information: Code sheet
records recording VA facility code identifier where the veteran was
examined or treated; veteran's name; address; social security number;
military service serial number; claim number; date of birth; race/
ethnicity; marital status; sex; branch of service; periods of
service; areas of service in Vietnam; list of military units where
veteran served; method of exposure to herbicides; veteran's self-
assessment of health; date of registry examination; veteran's
complaints/symptoms; reported birth defects among veteran's children;
consultations; diagnoses; disposition (hospitalized, referred for
outpatient treatment, etc.) and name and signature of examiner/
clinician coordinator, when available.
Authority for maintenance of the system:
Title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.) 1710(e)(1)(B) and 1720E.
Purpose(s):
The purpose of this AOR system of records is to provide
information about: Veterans who have had an AOR examination at a VA
facility; to assist in generating hypotheses for research studies;
provide management with the capability to track patient demographics;
reported birth defects among veterans' children; dioxin-related
diseases; planning and delivery of health care services and
associated costs; and with relation to claims for compensation which
may assist in the adjudication of claims possibly related to
herbicide exposure although more comprehensive medical records are
required for evaluation of subject claims.
Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including
categories of users and the purposes of such uses:
VA may disclose protected health information pursuant to the
following routine uses where required by law, or required or
permitted by 45 CFR parts 160 and 164.
- The record of an individual who is covered by this system may be disclosed to a member of Congress or staff person acting for the member when the member or staff person requests the record on behalf of, and at the written request of, that individual.
- Disclosure of records covered by this system, as deemed necessary and proper to named individuals serving as accredited service organization representatives, and other individuals named as approved agents or attorneys for a documented purpose and period of time, to aid beneficiaries in the preparation and presentation of their cases during the verification and/or due process procedures, and in the presentation and prosecution of claims under laws administered by VA.
- A record containing the name(s) and address(es) of present or
former members of the armed services and/or their dependents may be
released from this system of records under certain circumstances:
- To any nonprofit organization if the release is directly connected with the conduct of programs and the utilization of benefits under Title 38, and
- To any criminal or civil law enforcement governmental agency or instrumentality charged under applicable law with the protection of the public health or safety if a qualified representative of such organization, agency or instrumentality has made a written request that such name(s) or address(es) be provided for a purpose authorized by law; provided, further, that the record(s) will not be used for any purpose other than that stated in the request and that the organization, agency or instrumentality is aware of the penalty provision of 38 U.S.C. 5701(f).
- Disclosure may be made to the National Archives and Record Administration (NARA) in records management inspections conducted under authority of 44 U.S.C.
- Disclosure of information, excluding name and address (unless name and address is furnished by the requestor) for research purposes determined to be necessary and proper, to epidemiological and other research facilities approved by the Under Secretary for Health.
- In order to conduct Federal research necessary to accomplish a
statutory purpose of an agency, at the written request of the head of
the agency, or designee of the head of that agency, the name(s) and
address(es) of present or former personnel or the Armed Services and/
or their dependents may be disclosed
- To a Federal department or agency, or
- Directly to a contractor of a Federal department or agency. When a disclosure of this information is to be made directly to the contractor, VA may impose applicable conditions on the department, agency, and/or contractor to insure the appropriateness of the disclosure to the contractor.
- VA may disclose on its own initiative any information in this system, except the names and home addresses of veterans and their dependents, which is relevant to a suspected or reasonably imminent violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature and whether arising by general or program statute or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, to a Federal, State, local, tribal, or foreign agency charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation, or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, regulation, rule or order. On its own initiative, VA may also disclose the names and addresses of veterans and their dependents to a Federal agency charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting civil, criminal or regulatory violations of law, or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto.
- For program review purposes and the seeking of accreditation and/or certification, disclosure may be made to survey teams of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), College of American Pathologists, American Association of Blood Banks, and similar national accreditation agencies or boards with whom VA has a contract or agreement to conduct such reviews, but only to the extent that the information is necessary and relevant to the review.
- Records from this system of records may be disclosed to the Department of Justice (DOJ) or in a proceeding before a court, adjudicative body, or other administrative body before which the Department is authorized to appear when: (a) The Department, or any component thereof; or (b) any employee of the Department in his or her official capacity where the DOJ or the Department has agreed to represent the employee; or (c) the U.S., when the Department determines that litigation is likely to affect the Department or any of its components; is a party to litigation, and has an interest in such litigation, and the use of such records by the DOJ or the Department is deemed by the Department to be relevant and necessary to the litigation provided, however, that the disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the records were collected.
Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
In 2003, the data collection process moved to a secure web-based
system. Data previously recorded manually and converted to electronic
format is now input through the secure VA Intranet system. Data is
stored on a web server hosted by the AAC and is retrievable by the
facility. Three levels of access are provided for the data that is
input, using password security linked to the AAC Top Secret Security
system, with mandated changes every 90 days. Data from individual
facilities is uploaded nightly and stored on Direct Access Storage
Devices at the AAC, Austin, Texas, and on optical disks at VA Central
Office, Washington, DC. AAC stores registry tapes for disaster back
up at an off-site location. VA Central Office also has back-up
optical disks stored off-site. In addition to electronic data,
registry reports are maintained on paper documents and microfiche.
The optical disk system is currently being utilized where there
is no access to the secure web-based system. The optical disk system
is scheduled to be discontinued in 2004 and all access to the AOR
system will be through the secure web-based data entry system.
Records will be maintained and disposed of in accordance with records
disposition authority approved by the Archivist of the United States.
Retrievability:
Records are retrieved by name of veteran and social security number.
Safeguards:
Access to records at VA Central Office is only authorized to VA
personnel on a ``need to know'' basis. Records are maintained in
manned rooms during working hours. During non-working hours, there is
limited access to the building with visitor control by security
personnel. Registry data maintained at the AAC can only be updated by
authorized AAC personnel.
Data is securely located behind the VA firewall and only
accessible from the VA Local Area Network (LAN) through the VA
Intranet. Read access to the data is granted through a
telecommunications network to authorized VA Central Office staff. AAC
reports are also accessible through a telecommunications network on a
read-only basis to the owner (VA facility) of the data. Access is
limited to authorized employees by individually unique access codes
which are changed periodically.
Physical access to the AAC is generally restricted to AAC staff,
VA Central Office staff, custodial personnel, Federal Protective
Service and authorized operational personnel through electronic
locking devices. All other persons gaining access to the computer
rooms are escorted. Backup records stored off-site for both the AAC
and VA Central Office are safeguarded in secured storage areas. A
disaster recovery plan is in place and system recovery is tested at
an off-site facility in accordance with established schedules.
Retention and disposal:
Records will be maintained and disposed of in accordance with
records disposition authority approved by the Archivist of the United
States.
System manager(s) and address:
Director, Environmental Agents Service (131), Office of Public
Health and Environmental Hazards, (clinical issues) and Management/
Program Analyst, Environmental Agents Service (131) (administrative
issues), VA Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20420.
Notification procedure:
An individual who wishes to determine whether a record is being
maintained in this system under his or her name or other personal
identifier, or wants to determine the contents of such record, should
submit a written request or apply in person to the last VA facility
where medical care was provided or submit a written request to the
Director, Environmental Agents Service (131), Office of Public Health
and Environmental Hazards or the Management/Program Analyst,
Environmental Agents Service (131), VA Central Office, 810 Vermont
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420. Inquiries should include the
veteran's name, social security number and return address.
Record access procedures:
An individual who seeks access to records maintained under his or
her name may write or visit the nearest VA facility or write to the
Director, Environmental Agents Service (131) or the Management/
Program Analyst, Environmental Agents Service (131), VA Central
Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420.
Contesting records procedures:
Refer to previous item ``Record Access Procedures.''
Record source categories:
VA patient medical records, various automated record systems
providing clinical and managerial support to VA health care
facilities, the veteran, family members, and records from the
Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Defense, Department
of the Army, Department of the Air Force, Department of the Navy and
other Federal agencies.
