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.
Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.
I have to agree...this nurse's career is most likely over, UC probably will lose a lot of money over this, and I'm wondering
if there won't be a civil suit over slander/libel. I'm sure this major medical center didn't skip on the PHI education either.
Most importantly, the humiliation and career repercussions for the patient in question. Can't even begin to imagine what she must be feeling..I hope she comes out of this with her head held high.
This act makes me feel disgusted. Shame on those supposed professionals who shared this critically private information with the public. Further shame on those who judged the woman without knowing the full story. I hope they take down that Facebook group and punish those healthcare workers accordingly.
This just gives the public more reason not to approach health care because of unfortunate incidents like this.
.thumb.jpg.4079e404de05e55b7c37798612169324.jpg){kind=small}
guest07/14/15
52 Posts
This is embarrassing. It shows so much unprofessionalism. The hospital will probably do a retraining with the whole staff on policies.