Columnist Blasts Hospital’s Handling of Patient’s Records
Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik describes a recent situation in which executives from Shasta Regional Medical Center, which is owned by Prime Healthcare Services, showed a patient's medical chart to the Redding Record Searchlight, arguing that the incident violates patient privacy rules because the hospital executives did not obtain the patient's written authorization. "The behavior of Prime and Shasta Regional should provide rich fodder for investigations by state and federal agencies and by U.S. prosecutors in Sacramento, who cover Shasta County," Hiltzik writes.
- "Her Case Shows Why Health Care Privacy Laws Exist" (Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1/4).