What to do if a hospital divulged my medical information to my mother without my consent?
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What to do if a hospital divulged my medical information to my mother without my consent?
Yesterday I was admitted into the hospital. My mother, who does not even live in the same state as me and IS not listed as my emergency contact, called the hospital I was at and asked for information about me and they gave it to her. When I found out, I asked the hospital staff not to give out any of my information to anyone over the phone again. My mother called back twice and they told her all my test results and answered her question to whether or not I was pregnant. They told her information they hadn’t even told me yet. Can I sue, especially since I asked them not to do this?
Asked on March 23, 2015 under Malpractice Law, Alabama
Answers:
Anne Brady / Law Office of Anne Brady
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
There is no private cause of action under HIPAA. You can report them to their respective medical boards or file a complaint with the federal government, but there is no lawsuit to bring. You can not recover monetary damages for this.
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