Exposed: Clooney's Medical Records (No Media Outrage when this happened to Rush!)

ABC Snooze ^ | 10/10/07

[SoFloFreeper]

Hollywood actors are used to being followed by the paparazzi and having their most intimate moments published in the tabloids.

But there are a few places most people would think they're protected, including the doctor's office. Now one of the biggest stars in the world, George Clooney, has found that not even his hospital records are confidential.

[SoFloFreeper]

Goodness. Staff were even suspended...but outrage and umbrage were absent when the same thing happened to Rush Limbaugh.

But of course the MSM is objective. Or not.

[Fairview]

I’m amazed that the staff were just suspended and not fired. A violation of HIPAA like this can and probably will cost the hospital $50K in fines.

[Jigajog]

So how many gerbils did the Doctor remove from Cloney’s ass?

[bmwcyle]

Was he playing a Clinton private eye character in the latest movie?

[NautiNurse]

A violation of HIPAA like this can and probably will cost the hospital $50K in fines.

Don't count on it. Through 2006, HIPAA had logged 19,420 violation complaints without issuing a single fine.

[Enchante]

I have a family member who used to work in a large NYC hospital that gets a lot of famous patients..... it was well known to staff there that simply accessing anyone’s medical records without authorization was grounds for automatic termination, and that the hospital’s computer system tracked all user access. Whether they were actually as strict in any real cases (i.e., whether anyone was actually ever fired) I have no knowledge, but I sure do remember hearing about that policy. I don’t think any medical person should expect anything but termination for abuse of confidential records, even if it’s ‘merely’ accessing the records to satisfy prurient curiosity.

[Grams A]

HIPAA secures privacy? Whose? Docs by govt mandate now have a single permanent unique NPI# (ID# in lieu of tax id). If pts use Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance, the info on your name, address, phone, diagnosis, dates of treatment, etc. is all there all in one nice tidy package. Between this and info readily available on people thru internet, you have no privacy. HIPAA = expensive govt mandate which benefits only the govt.

[1Old Pro]

Staff should be fired, a breach of confidentiality should have ZERO tolerance.

[verity]

It seems, however, that they failed to remove his head from his ...

[weegee]

Tom Harkin claimed in the halls of Congress that Rush was probably “high on drugs” when he mentioned the phony soldiers on the air last month. But he has been subjected to monthly drug testing in Floriduh without any traces detected.

So even when your medical records are a matter of public record in a legal matter, your political enemies will still lie about what is contained in them.

[millerph]

HIPAA = expensive govt mandate which benefits only the govt.

You are so right. We hear all the complaints about he cost of healthcare, but no one mentions the cost of the HIPAA fiasco. The time & money wasted is hard to grasp, not to mention the paper wasted printing privacy policies no one looks at (where are the tree huggers when we need them).

[Fairview]

Through 2006, HIPAA had logged 19,420 violation complaints without issuing a single fine.

If that's true, I'm going to feel a lot more relaxed. Where did you get your numbers? I have to post that on the bulletin board at work, with source.

[Swanks]

I also, would like to know where I can access this information about HIPAA violation stats. Having been in the dental/medical field for years, I know nothing is kept as confidential as it should. HIPAA is such a waste of time and money. Yet, we can’t treat patients without their signatures. This would be such a great topic of discussion for my continuing education class, it you can provide me documentation.