DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

California Hospital Faces Sanctions After Workers Wrongly Looked at Patient Records

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Dissent

Jennifer Steinhauer reports in The New York Times:

The head of California’s health department said Monday that the agency planned to sanction the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center after hospital workers improperly viewed the records of more than 60 patients, including the actress Farrah Fawcett and the state’s first lady, Maria Shriver.

The investigation revealed that records of 61 patients, roughly half celebrities or politicians, had been opened by one unauthorized worker who had since quit. “There was intent to terminate,” Ms. Moster said, “and I believe it was going on when she resigned.”

[…]

The hospital did not notify the California Health and Human Services Agency of the violations, Ms. Moster said, because officials thought the center was obligated under state law to report only medical errors. “We are cooperating fully with the department of public health moving forward,” she said.

The state agency, which oversees the licensing and certification of hospitals, has begun its own investigation, said its secretary, Kim Belshé.

Patient privacy rights are protected under a variety of state and federal laws. The medical center could be fined or have its licenses taken away. Also, the state’s findings could be referred to law enforcement officials.

“It appears that we have a pattern of repeated violations, and that is very troubling, and we take that very seriously,” Ms. Belshé said. “It is not a question of will we take action but determining what action to take.”

Full story – NY Times

Category: Health Data

Post navigation

← WellCare Health Plans discloses data difficulties
(WellCare update) Insurance records of 71,000 Ga. families made public →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Lower Merion School District says a data breach was caused by a computer glitch
  • After $1 Million Ransom Demand, Virgin Islands Lottery Restores Operations Without Paying Hackers
  • Junior Defence Contractor Arrested For Leaking Indian Naval Secrets To Suspected Pakistani Spies
  • Mysterious leaker GangExposed outs Conti kingpins in massive ransomware data dump
  • Resource: HoganLovells Asia-Pacific Data, Privacy and Cybersecurity Guide 2025
  • Class action settlement following ransomware attack will cost Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center about $52 million
  • Comstar LLC agrees to corrective action plan and fine to settle HHS OCR charges
  • Australian ransomware victims now must tell the government if they pay up
  • U.S. Sanctions Cloud Provider ‘Funnull’ as Top Source of ‘Pig Butchering’ Scams
  • Victoria’s Secret takes down website after security incident

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • Fears Grow Over ICE’s Reach Into Schools
  • Resource: HoganLovells Asia-Pacific Data, Privacy and Cybersecurity Guide 2025
  • She Got an Abortion. So A Texas Cop Used 83,000 Cameras to Track Her Down.
  • Why AI May Be Listening In on Your Next Doctor’s Appointment
  • Watch out for activist judges trying to deprive us of our rights to safe reproductive healthcare
  • Nebraska Bans Minor Social Media Accounts Without Parental Consent
  • Trump Taps Palantir to Compile Data on Americans

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.