5 former Methodist Hospital employees indicted for HIPAA violations, officials say FOX13 News Memphis
5 former Methodist Hospital employees indicted for HIPAA violations, officials say
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WATCH: Former Methodist Hospital employees face HIPAA violations WATCH: Former Methodist Hospital employees face HIPAA violations
By Jack Bilyeu, FOX13memphis.com
November 11, 2022 at 7:02 pm CST
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The US Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that five former Methodist Hospital employees and another man were indicted for a scheme to sell patients’ information.
A spokesperson said that car crash victims’ information was sold to the likes of chiropractors and personal injury lawyers. The five employees and their partner face charges related to conspiracy, HIPAA violations and more.
“People are vulnerable when they come to the hospital,” Ryan Adewole, who was appalled at the case, said. “They come to get help, not to get their information sold out like that.”
MORE: Fugitive arrested in bribery scheme using MPD records
The US Attorney’s Office said former employees Kirby Dandridge, Sylvia Taylor, Kara Thompson, Melanie Russell and Adrianna Taber were paid to share the information by Roderick Harvey, who then sold it to the businesses.
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“Very unprofessional,” Jay Parker, another Memphian who was outraged by the case, said. “I would be very uncomfortable if I was one of the patients and my information was sold.”
The USAO reported Harvey faces seven charges spanning from 2017 to 2019.
“I think they should go to jail forever. They don’t ever need to do medical practice again,” Adewole said. “Because they can’t be trusted.”
Methodist Hospital told FOX13 in a statement it alerted legal authorities when made aware of the scheme, notified the victims and has cooperated fully with the investigation.
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare spokesperson Rachel Powers Doyle issued a statement:
“At Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, we take the security of our patient’s private information very seriously. Once we became aware of the situation, we promptly took action and alerted the appropriate legal authorities. We’ve cooperated fully with their investigation and ensured each patient who was affected has been notified. While there is no evidence of financial information being disclosed, we are offering free credit reporting for those affected.”
“Oftentimes we put our trust into the doctors and the hospitals,” McKinze Johnson, who believes strongly in HIPAA, said. “For that type of information to get out is like, ‘I Trusted you!’”
A Methodist spokesperson said those employees no longer work for the hospital.
According to the USAO, they could each face up to six years in prison and $300,000 in fines, while Harvey could face up to 75 years in prison and $2,000,000 in fines.
Still, many felt the loss of employment, fines and prison time would not be enough.
“They’re going to Hell,” Adewole said.
FOX13 visited several of the employee’s most recent addresses but no one answered the door. Methodist Hospital is offering free credit checks to those affected.
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WATCH: Former Methodist Hospital employees face HIPAA violations WATCH: Former Methodist Hospital employees face HIPAA violations
By Jack Bilyeu, FOX13memphis.com
November 11, 2022 at 7:02 pm CST
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The US Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that five former Methodist Hospital employees and another man were indicted for a scheme to sell patients’ information.
A spokesperson said that car crash victims’ information was sold to the likes of chiropractors and personal injury lawyers. The five employees and their partner face charges related to conspiracy, HIPAA violations and more.
“People are vulnerable when they come to the hospital,” Ryan Adewole, who was appalled at the case, said. “They come to get help, not to get their information sold out like that.”
MORE: Fugitive arrested in bribery scheme using MPD records
The US Attorney’s Office said former employees Kirby Dandridge, Sylvia Taylor, Kara Thompson, Melanie Russell and Adrianna Taber were paid to share the information by Roderick Harvey, who then sold it to the businesses.
Ad ChoicesAward-winning cat and dog insurance
SPONSORED CONTENT
Award-winning cat and dog insurance
By MANYPETS.COM
“Very unprofessional,” Jay Parker, another Memphian who was outraged by the case, said. “I would be very uncomfortable if I was one of the patients and my information was sold.”
The USAO reported Harvey faces seven charges spanning from 2017 to 2019.
“I think they should go to jail forever. They don’t ever need to do medical practice again,” Adewole said. “Because they can’t be trusted.”
Methodist Hospital told FOX13 in a statement it alerted legal authorities when made aware of the scheme, notified the victims and has cooperated fully with the investigation.
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare spokesperson Rachel Powers Doyle issued a statement:
“At Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, we take the security of our patient’s private information very seriously. Once we became aware of the situation, we promptly took action and alerted the appropriate legal authorities. We’ve cooperated fully with their investigation and ensured each patient who was affected has been notified. While there is no evidence of financial information being disclosed, we are offering free credit reporting for those affected.”
“Oftentimes we put our trust into the doctors and the hospitals,” McKinze Johnson, who believes strongly in HIPAA, said. “For that type of information to get out is like, ‘I Trusted you!’”
A Methodist spokesperson said those employees no longer work for the hospital.
According to the USAO, they could each face up to six years in prison and $300,000 in fines, while Harvey could face up to 75 years in prison and $2,000,000 in fines.
Still, many felt the loss of employment, fines and prison time would not be enough.
“They’re going to Hell,” Adewole said.
FOX13 visited several of the employee’s most recent addresses but no one answered the door. Methodist Hospital is offering free credit checks to those affected.
