Employees fired after snooping in news anchor's medical records
Healthcare Auditing Weekly, December 16, 2008
An Arkansas hospital fired six employees in October for illegally accessing patient medical records.
St. Vincent Health System fired the employees for accessing Little Rock morning television anchor Anne Pressly’s records while she was a patient at the company’s main hospital, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
A routine patient-privacy audit shower that as many as eight people gained access to her records improperly, the article stated. The eight employees were placed on leave during an investigation, which showed two of the employees had valid reason for accessing Pressly’s records.
Pressly was brought unconscious to the hospital after someone severely beat her in her home in Little Rock. She never regained consciousness and died on October 24.
HIPAA privacy rule violation complaints are generally directed to the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) in the HHS. In this case, however, since the hospital dealt with the incident swiftly, the OCR will not likely take any further action.
Comments
0 comments on “Employees fired after snooping in news anchor's medical records ”
Related Products
-
Guide to HIPAA Auditing, Second Edition
This new edition of a best-selling book delivers the hands-on tools and guidance you need to conduct effective in-house...
-
The No-Hassle Guide to HIPAA Policies: A Privacy and Security Toolkit
HIPAA regulations require extensive documentation—likely more than you've done in the past. Changing the way you look...
-
The HIPAA and HITECH Toolkit
The HIPAA and HITECH Toolkit is a valuable resource that helps both CEs and BAs understand and meet the HITECH Act's...
-
HIPAA Handbook for Nutrition, Environmental Services, and Volunteer Staff:
Train all of your staff members with this handbook and others in the 2009 HIPAA Handbook Series. Ensure they understand...
-
HIPAA Handbook for Registration and Front Office Staff
Train all of your staff members with this handbook and others in the 2009 HIPAA Handbook Series. Ensure they understand...
Most Popular
- Articles
-
- HIPAA Q&A: Flu shot requirement for hospital employees
- Running an effective peer review committee meeting
- HealthDataInsights posts new issues for medical necessity claims
- Sneak Peek: Effort underway to establish caseload benchmarks
- Q/A: Coding for telescopic intraocular lens
- New FAQ posted on storing laryngoscope blades
- Tip: Perform your own internal investigation prior to government audit
- HIPAA 5010 deadline extended, but threat remains, says AMA
- HHS task force: Consider privacy, security with text messages
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- E-mailed
-
- Running an effective peer review committee meeting
- HIPAA Q&A: Flu shot requirement for hospital employees
- HHS task force: Consider privacy, security with text messages
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- Q/A: Coding for telescopic intraocular lens
- Q/A: Correct use of modifier -PT
- Tip: Correctly code bilateral pain management procedures
- "Wall fountains" may be spreading Legionnaires to patients, visitors
- 2012 CPT code changes for ASCs: Shoulder and knee scopes and pain management
- Case Management Monthly, March 2012
- Searched