Health Information Management

Beatle's estate sues NY doctor

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, January 12, 2004

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Beatle's estate sues NY doctor

A lawsuit filed last week by the estate of the late Beatles guitarist and singer George Harrison charges a Staten Island, NY, oncologist and the hospital in which he practices of violating Harrison's right to privacy, according to the New York Times. The $10 million lawsuit claims that Gilbert Lederman, MD, revealed confidential information about Harrison to reporters and violated his patient's privacy for the sake of publicity.

Lederman paid the New York State Health Department a $5,000 fine and agreed to a censure last November to settle allegations that he gave news organizations information about an unidentified patient who died on November 29, 2001. That was the same day Harrison died. In this latest complaint, Harrison's estate charges Lederman with revealing confidential information about Harrison to TV and print news media. In addition, the complaint alleges that he also forced Harrison, who had debilitating lung and brain cancer, to autograph his son's guitar.

Lederman is the director of radiation oncology at Staten Island University Hospital.



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