Statement From Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, February 15, 2007:
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ — This morning the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office finally provided the information required under a previous agreement with Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center to authenticate its request for medical records pertaining to last’s week incident involving the transportation of a discharged patient.
HPMC immediately released the records. Federal HIPPA privacy laws strictly protect patient privacy and prohibit a hospital from releasing medical records without the patient’s consent. The City Attorney submitted a consent form with an illegible signature. All we had asked was that the City Attorney certify that the signature was in fact that of the patient. It should be emphasized that the Medical Center and the City Attorney’s office had previously worked out a process to protect any patient’s privacy when a request for medical records is received. This process, as the City Attorney’s office is aware, involves attesting to the fact that the signature is valid. This authentication was not received until this morning.
HPMC takes patient privacy very seriously and would never release anyone’s medical records unless we were assured of the authenticity of their consent form, and that we were in compliance with federal and state privacy laws.
Contact: Dan Springer — (858) 740-8682
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
CONTACT: Dan Springer of Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center,+1-858-740-8682