The Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday it reached a settlement with Manhattan’s New York Presbyterian Hospital after the medical facility allowed ABC to film patients without their permission.
The hospital will pay $2.2 million for what HHS’s Office for Civil Rights called an an “egregious disclosure” of two patients’ protected health information.
The hospital permitted film crew and staff of the TV show “NY Med” to film one person who was dying and another with significant diseases despite being told not to by medical personnel.
“This case sends an important message that [the civil rights office] will not permit covered entities to compromise their patients’ privacy by allowing news or television crews to film the patients without their authorization,” Director Jocelyn Samuels said in a statement. “We take seriously all complaints filed by individuals, and will seek the necessary remedies to ensure that patients’ privacy is fully protected.”
The office said the hospital gave the film crew “virtually unfettered access” to the entire facility. On top of the fine, the agency said it will track the amount and types of access the hospital gives to the media over the next two years to ensure hospital officials do not abuse patient information in the future.
