No, that only applies to medical staff. If this is really happening, a 3rd party such as a family member could tell a reporter, or the TRL all the details and it could be dissemination without running afoul of any laws. One would think that given the alleged situation, that family members would be screaming the details to high heaven, yet the article is full of nothing but vague allusions.
As a medical researcher, I have to take HIPAA training annually, even though I never see patient data. True, I don't take the training directed at caregivers, although I seem to recall that they cannot freely discuss patient details even with the family. Another possibility is that the family contacted the right-to-life group, TRL, for assistance, but did not want details publicized. In that case, TRL told as many details as they could while respecting the family's privacy.
I do agree, it is frustrating to not know the details. For all we know, the food and water were discontinued because the patient's body was shutting down... and the family did not understand that.