Woman sues hospital after med records posted on FaceBook

Published

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/04/1304322/-Woman-suing-hospital-after-medical-records-posted-to-Team-No-Hoes-Facebook-group?detail=email

CINCINNATI --A Cincinnati woman who was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease has filed a lawsuit against UC Medical Center after an employee allegedly posted the woman's medical records on Facebook.

  • Exhibit one of the lawsuit is a screenshot of this woman's medical record, showing all of her personal information including her diagnosis -- syphilis.

Attorney Mike Allen said employees at UC Medical Center took the photo and posted it on Facebook.

"She was absolutely devastated. That is the most private of private medical information that was posted on Facebook and went out to a group on Facebook that had a huge dissemination," Allen said. "For an employee of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center to post that information on a social media device that millions of people have access to, it's above and beyond the law and that's why we feel that they're responsible."

The Facebook group is called "Team No Hoes."

Allen said the screenshot was followed by comments referring to his client as a "hoe" and a "****."

"To have that kind of information in the public domain when it is clearly legally to be protected, that's a problem and that's a problem that UC's responsible for," Allen said.

In the lawsuit filed in Hamilton County Tuesday, the woman is suing UC Medical Center, an employee named Ryan Rawls, another unnamed UC employee who's believed to be a nurse, and the woman's ex-boyfriend, Raphael Bradley.

Allen said Bradley convinced the UC employees to release the medical records, violating state and federal laws.

WLWT News 5 went to both Rawls' and Bradley's houses for comment. Bradley returned our call. He wouldn't comment but confirmed the woman is Rawls' girlfriend.

"We have not received a copy of the lawsuit but we will certainly investigate it and we cannot comment on pending litigation," UC Medical Center spokeswoman Diana Lara said.

Allen said the consequences to his client have been devastating.

"She doesn't want to go out. She doesn't want to talk to people. People who were formerly her friends have made fun of her for it. She's chastised in the community and all of this could've been avoided if UC Med Center had proper protections in place," Allen said.

In the lawsuit, Allen is asking UC Medical Center to look at its procedures to make sure something like this doesn't happen again.

His client is also seeking more than $25,000 in damages.

Allen is requesting that a jury hear his client's case.

Read more: http://www.wlwt.com/news/lawsuit-uc-med-center-employees-leaked-patients-history-on-facebook/26316492#ixzz33nOinuSX

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.

If this was me I'd sue everyone and their mother. I'm so appalled at this. It's not like something slipped or they misspoke, but that they purposefully posted her information with the idea of mocking and humiliating her. I hope she gets millions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

If it were me, I would be seeking a LOT more than $25K in damages.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
If it were me, I would be seeking a LOT more than $25K in damages.

Darn skippy...I would sue them six ways from Sunday. They'd be lucky if they were living in their cars when it was all over if it were me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Wow. Why in the world would that nurse be so stupid as to do that? I bet it will be a firing offense to even log onto FB on your break if you are on hospital grounds now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

cannot believe the stupidity of some people. Even it it was never seen, it should never have been said. Awful

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Wow. Why in the world would that nurse be so stupid as to do that? I bet it will be a firing offense to even log onto FB on your break if you are on hospital grounds now.

As far as the nurse, this is when personal beliefs get WAYY far over than professionalism...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
If this was me I'd sue everyone and their mother. I'm so appalled at this. It's not like something slipped or they misspoke, but that they purposefully posted her information with the idea of mocking and humiliating her. I hope she gets millions.

That is what is wrong with our society. Sue who ever has the biggest pockets, for the biggest payday. What did the hospital do wrong that warrants them to be part of the lawsuit? I forgot about the fact that hospitals have crystal balls that can see into the future. The employee had proper access to the records and chose to take a picture of the records. How can the hospital have prevented this? Where is the negligence? There is none, but they have the biggest pockets.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

It looks like staff acting as an agent of the hospital released the records to someone who had no legal right to have them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The hospital gets the HIPAA fines from the feds, because they are supposed to train their employees on PHI management and put the fear of god into them about releasing it. The hospital will certainly fire the staffer (nurse? who really knows? not me, not yet), and the atty can try to find a way to sue the hospital and the staffer. The hospital atty will also go after the staffer to recover some of their losses, so s/he's screwed either way. And, if I say so myself, deserves it, if this is true.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
The hospital gets the HIPAA fines from the feds, because they are supposed to train their employees on PHI management and put the fear of god into them about releasing it. The hospital will certainly fire the staffer (nurse? who really knows? not me, not yet), and the atty can try to find a way to sue the hospital and the staffer. The hospital atty will also go after the staffer to recover some of their losses, so s/he's screwed either way. And, if I say so myself, deserves it, if this is true.

If this is true, definitely deserves it. This is horrifying and cruel.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.
That is what is wrong with our society. Sue who ever has the biggest pockets, for the biggest payday. What did the hospital do wrong that warrants them to be part of the lawsuit? I forgot about the fact that hospitals have crystal balls that can see into the future. The employee had proper access to the records and chose to take a picture of the records. How can the hospital have prevented this? Where is the negligence? There is none, but they have the biggest pockets.

Where did I say anything about suing the hospital. I was referring to the multiple people involved. Next time don't assume things.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion