Central Ohio Women's Center claims health department investigation violates HIPAA
HIPAA Weekly Advisor, August 29, 2005
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The Central Ohio Women's Center (COWC), in Columbus, OH, filed a federal lawsuit August 22 to block the Ohio Department of Health from obtaining the medical records of 224 patients. The department requested the records of every patient who visited the center in May and June as part of an investigation about an unidentified complaint.
COWC, which is a licensed ambulatory surgical facility and an affiliate of Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio, has made several attempts to allow the department of health to continue its investigation while safeguarding patients' privacy, including offering to contact patients for permission to release their records and removing identifying information from records.
Nationally, Planned Parenthood has fought and won similar privacy battles. In 2004, it successfully blocked U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft's attempt to seize 900 confidential medical records from affiliates across the country. Currently, cases are pending in Kansas, with a September court date, and in Indiana. Each case involves the confidentiality of about 30 Planned Parenthood patient records.
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