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.
I wish nice licensing sanctions on anyone's professional license. I would vote for not being eligible for reinstatement and a listing on the OIG list. Idiots.
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.
I agree,.....fire the nurse, take her license, throw her in jail,....but take more money from already struggling hospitals? I don't think so. This nurse knew what she was doing was wrong, she should be held accountable. Unless they can prove the hospital had anything at all to do with this why should they be penalized millions of dollars?
My bad SionainnRN,...didn't read through before I posted my apologies
I hope that nurse loses his/her license! What an awful, cruel thing to do to someone. A breach of professionalism and discretion doesn't begin to describe this awful situation. Patients are supposed to be able to trust medical professionals to keep their information safe guarded and confidential. Wow.....
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.
Good point ... and I wouldn't necessarily be trying to get all the money from the hospital. I'd be going after the individuals involved most of all. My feelings about the hospital would depend on the lengths they had gone to train their staff and keep the information secure. If the hospital had been negligent in any way, I wouldn't hesitate to go after them. But if they were TOTALLY blameless, I would take that into consideration.
It may not be the hospitals fault, but it was one of their employees that did this, they hired them, that employees actions reflects on the company, I'm sure a good lawyer could find a way to sue. It'll definitely leave a big ugly bruise on the hospitals reputation regardless of whether they get used or not. I'm not saying it's right, but if you can spill COFFEE on yourself and sue because it was hot....well, you see.
As far as the moron that posted it on Facebook....she deserves the worst she could get. I hope they take her license, her freedom and her dignity all at once. If you allow personal crap to compromise a caregiver-client relationship ( and freaking HIPAA) you don't belong taking care of a dog as far as I'm concerned.
Personally, I'd go after the person that posted it, the person that created the Facebook page, Facebook for allowing the page to exist with HIPAA violations on it, and the hospital ONLY if I discovered they had anything to do with it or found out about it and let it slide for any amount of time.
I agree,.....fire the nurse, take her license, throw her in jail,....but take more money from already struggling hospitals? I don't think so. This nurse knew what she was doing was wrong, she should be held accountable. Unless they can prove the hospital had anything at all to do with this why should they be penalized millions of dollars?
My bad SionainnRN,...didn't read through before I posted my apologies
From what I read elsewhere, it was the victim's ex-boyfriend and a friend of his that were responsible for sharing the information. Classy guys. May karma kick them in the balls.
my apologies
HappyWife77, BSN, RN
739 Posts
Someone should go to jail.