More UCLA staffers cited for record snooping

Tue, 13 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

California regulators have identified an additional 14 staffers connected with UCLA Medical Center who improperly viewed celebrity medical records. This brings the total number of current and former staffers found to have snooped on such records to 68. UCLA previously announced that it was investigating 13 staff members for accessing Britney Spears's medical records.

California's Department of Public Health, which sent a report to the hospital on the issue last week, faulted the hospital for failing to maintain patient confidentiality and report breaches to regulators. According to the regulators, the hospital was unaware that the 14 people had looked at the records, despite the fact that one of them was the co-worker of Lawanda Jackson, a former administrative specialist with the hospital who has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly selling information to the news media from celebrity medical records.

To learn more about UCLA's confidentiality problem:
- read this Los Angeles Times article

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UCLA staffer indicted for sharing patient information

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:59:58 -0400

In a rare instance of prosecution for medical records disclosure, a former administrative staffer at UCLA Medical Center has been indicted by a federal grand jury, accused of selling celebrity medical information to the media. Lawanda Jackson allegedly sold information on 60 patients, including California first lady Maria Shriver and actress Farah Fawcett. If convicted, Jackson faces up to 10 years in prison.

Prosecutors say Jackson got at least $4,600 during the period from 2006 through mid-2007 for disclosing information on Fawcett to a media outlet. Jackson, for her part, denies that she sold the information, though she admits that she did look at the records.

To learn more about the indictment:
- read this Los Angeles Times article

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