Now, That's Transparency

The Veterans Affairs Department briefs Congress monthly on data breaches, and yesterday Roger Baker, chief information officer at VA, held the first of what he said will be similar monthly data breach briefings for the press.

Baker emphasized in the press call on Thursday the "information" tag in his title, and said that he has responsibility for the protection of all forms of veteran information, digital and paper.

He said despite the theft of an unencrypted laptop from a contractor last month, the VA experiences more paper than digital information breaches.

Baker categorized these as "onsies and twosies" such as when VA mail order pharmacies misdirect prescriptions. He said he would like to see no such errors, but with 7.5 million prescriptions mailed a month, some will end up in the wrong place.

But the VA's "mis-mails" only four or five of those prescriptions a month, a statically small error rate, he added.

Baker also said he decided to hold the monthly press call on data breaches as part of an overall transparency effort and so the media can deal with facts rather than rumor or supposition.

I also know Baker is smart enough to have figured out that congressional staffers talk to reporters every now and then.