Workers suspended for viewing star's medical records
Compliance Monitor, October 17, 2007
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Twenty-seven employees from Palisades Medical Center were suspended without pay for allegedly looking at George Clooney's medical records after he was in a motorcycle accident. According to the New Jersey Journal this violates HIPAA, which says that only direct caregivers, technicians, and support staff involved in a patient's care can look at the records.
"We have systems in place to audit and protect the records of any patient," said Erice Rojas, the hospital's vice president of external affairs, "Any conduct that violates the trust of our patients and the high standards we set is taken very seriously."
Hospital officials don't think that the records were leaked to the public, but the viewing of the records was still considered a breach in privacy, according to the New Jersey Journal.
Jean Oterson, who represents the suspended nurses and technicians, said that while those who violated HIPAA should be held accountable, Palisades Medical Center should also concentrate on how to prevent future snooping of patient records.
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