Resources for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Online Comments Lead To Privacy Complaint

www.americanbanker.com

From April 2003 until the end of last year, the federal government has received nearly 1,500 complaints from patients in Pennsylvania, alleging privacy violations under HIPAA. One case has angered local women so much that they switched doctors. It centers on a myspace page created in the name of Stephanie Sicilia, an employee of local doctor Paul Zubritzky.

Target 11 interviewed two women who did not want to be identified. We'll call them Carmella and Bailey. The doctor delivered "Carmella's" two children, but when she saw the myspace comments, she found a new OB/GYN.

These are some of the comments, according to printouts one of the women saved: "Today is straight from hell!! I had enough yelling, swearing, bleeding, crying (expletive)" A woman's abortions are mentioned. Another patient is ridiculed for asking about gingerbread cookies the doctor recommended for nausea, "Some women shouldn't reproduce."

View the Resource

Share or bookmarklet this web page at: