The hospital where Jason Pierre-Paul has been getting treatment for fireworks-related injuries has launched what it’s calling an “aggressive internal investigation” into how ESPN reporter Adam Schefter obtained a copy of the NFL player’s medical records. Shefter tweeted a photo Wednesday of what appeared to be part of Pierre-Paul’s records, which said doctors had amputated the defensive end’s right index finger. ESPN obtained medical charts that show Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul had right index finger amputated today. pic.twitter.com/VI5cbS1uCw July 8, 2015 The photo led to questions about whether Shefter has acted unethically by obtaining and then tweeting a photo of what should be private records. Some people were more blunt …
The hospital where Jason Pierre-Paul has been getting treatment for fireworks-related injuries has launched what it’s calling an “aggressive internal investigation” into how ESPN reporter Adam Schefter obtained a copy of the NFL player’s medical records.
Shefter tweeted a photo Wednesday of what appeared to be part of Pierre-Paul’s records, which said doctors had amputated the defensive end’s right index finger.
The photo led to questions about whether Shefter has acted unethically by obtaining and then tweeting a photo of what should be private records. Some people were more blunt than others.
But Carlos Migoya, the president and CEO of Jackson Health System, told TMZ that he’s most concerned about whether an employee helped Shefter obtain them.
“Late Wednesday, media reports surfaced purportedly showing a Jackson Memorial Hospital patient’s protected health information, suggesting it was leaked by an employee,” he said. “An aggressive internal investigation looking into these allegations is underway.”
“If we confirm Jackson employees or physicians violated a patient’s legal right to privacy, they will be held accountable, up to and including possible termination. We do not tolerate violations of this kind,” he added.
The concern is that a medical professional at the hospital violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which is meant to protect patients’ records. A violation can lead to a $50,000 fine and potential imprisonment, according to the American Medical Association’s website. Boston.com noted that Pierre-Paul may have reason to sue the hospital over the leak as well.
ESPN, for its part, noted when asked about the controversy by CNN Money that the HIPAA does not apply to journalists like Shefter.
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Hospital Launches ‘Aggressive’ Investigation After ESPN Obtains Jason Pierre-Paul’s Medical Files
