Business

Kaiser employees caught snooping at medical records of octuplets' mom

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted April 13, 2009

Print  |   Email  |   Respond  |   Reprints  |   Like Facebook  |   Share Twitter  |   Tweet Linkedin

Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center has disciplined several employees for snooping at the medical records of the woman who, in January, gave birth to octuplets.

The hospital said it fired 15 hospital workers and took other disciplinary action against eight other workers from various departments who accessed Nadya Suleman's medical records without permission or authority. Hospital officials said it didn't appear any information had been leaked beyond what was already public knowledge. The breach was discovered through the hospital's network monitoring.

This is the first high-profile case for the Bellflower, Calif., facility since the state's new snooping laws went into effect Jan. 1. The new laws made way for penalties on hospitals that do not notify patients of breaches. The laws also open the door for patients to sue medical facilities when their records are inappropriately accessed, even if there are no damages. As of yet, no lawsuit has been filed against Kaiser Bellflower as a result of the snooping.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/04/13/bibf0413.htm.

Back to top


ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISE HERE


Featured
Read story

Confronting bias against obese patients

Medical educators are starting to raise awareness about how weight-related stigma can impair patient-physician communication and the treatment of obesity. Read story


Read story

Goodbye

American Medical News is ceasing publication after 55 years of serving physicians by keeping them informed of their rapidly changing profession. Read story


Read story

Policing medical practice employees after work

Doctors can try to regulate staff actions outside the office, but they must watch what they try to stamp out and how they do it. Read story


Read story

Diabetes prevention: Set on a course for lifestyle change

The YMCA's evidence-based program is helping prediabetic patients eat right, get active and lose weight. Read story


Read story

Medicaid's muddled preventive care picture

The health system reform law promises no-cost coverage of a lengthy list of screenings and other prevention services, but some beneficiaries still might miss out. Read story


Read story

How to get tax breaks for your medical practice

Federal, state and local governments offer doctors incentives because practices are recognized as economic engines. But physicians must know how and where to find them. Read story


Read story

Advance pay ACOs: A down payment on Medicare's future

Accountable care organizations that pay doctors up-front bring practice improvements, but it's unclear yet if program actuaries will see a return on investment. Read story


Read story

Physician liability: Your team, your legal risk

When health care team members drop the ball, it's often doctors who end up in court. How can physicians improve such care and avoid risks? Read story

  • Stay informed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • LinkedIn