5 former Methodist Hospital employees plead guilty to HIPAA violations
5 former Methodist Hospital employees plead guilty to HIPAA violations
(Action News 5)
By Action News 5 Staff
Published: Apr. 24, 2023 at 11:37 PM BST|Updated: Apr. 25, 2023 at 10:17 PM BST
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Five former Methodist Hospital employees and Roderick Harvey, 41, of Memphis, have pleaded guilty to unlawfully disclosing patient information in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly known as “HIPAA.”
According to United States Attorney Ritz and the information presented in court, between November 2017 and December 2020, Harvey paid Kirby Dandridge, 38, Sylvia Taylor, 43, Kara Thompson, 31, Melanie Russell, 41, and Adrianna Taber, 26, to provide him with names and phone numbers of Methodist patients who had been involved in motor vehicle accidents.
After obtaining the information, Harvey sold the information to third persons including personal injury attorneys and chiropractors.
“We expect our Associates to uphold the highest integrity and moral compass, and require all employees to complete HIPAA privacy training. There are serious consequences for individuals who violate privacy policies.”
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
HIPAA was enacted by Congress in 1996 to create national standards to protect sensitive patient information from being disclosed without a patient’s knowledge or consent. HIPAA’s provisions make it a crime to disclose patient information or to obtain patient information with the intent to sell, transfer or use such information for personal gain.
On April 21, Harvey appeared before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker and entered a guilty plea to conspiring with Dandridge, Taylor, Taber, Thompson, and Russell to violate HIPAA.
Harvey faces a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
Sentencing for Harvey is set for August 1.
Dandridge, Taylor, Taber, Thompson, and Russell previously entered guilty pleas to disclosing the information to Harvey in violation of HIPAA. Each of those violations carries a maximum penalty of one year of imprisonment, a $50,000 fine, and one year of supervised release.
Sentencing hearings for Dandridge, Taylor, Taber, Thompson, and Russell are scheduled before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker as follows:
Dandridge – April 25, 2023
Taylor – May 17, 2023
Taber – May 25, 2023
Thompson – May 2, 2023
Russell – June 21, 2023
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
(Action News 5)
By Action News 5 Staff
Published: Apr. 24, 2023 at 11:37 PM BST|Updated: Apr. 25, 2023 at 10:17 PM BST
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Five former Methodist Hospital employees and Roderick Harvey, 41, of Memphis, have pleaded guilty to unlawfully disclosing patient information in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly known as “HIPAA.”
According to United States Attorney Ritz and the information presented in court, between November 2017 and December 2020, Harvey paid Kirby Dandridge, 38, Sylvia Taylor, 43, Kara Thompson, 31, Melanie Russell, 41, and Adrianna Taber, 26, to provide him with names and phone numbers of Methodist patients who had been involved in motor vehicle accidents.
After obtaining the information, Harvey sold the information to third persons including personal injury attorneys and chiropractors.
“We expect our Associates to uphold the highest integrity and moral compass, and require all employees to complete HIPAA privacy training. There are serious consequences for individuals who violate privacy policies.”
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
HIPAA was enacted by Congress in 1996 to create national standards to protect sensitive patient information from being disclosed without a patient’s knowledge or consent. HIPAA’s provisions make it a crime to disclose patient information or to obtain patient information with the intent to sell, transfer or use such information for personal gain.
On April 21, Harvey appeared before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker and entered a guilty plea to conspiring with Dandridge, Taylor, Taber, Thompson, and Russell to violate HIPAA.
Harvey faces a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
Sentencing for Harvey is set for August 1.
Dandridge, Taylor, Taber, Thompson, and Russell previously entered guilty pleas to disclosing the information to Harvey in violation of HIPAA. Each of those violations carries a maximum penalty of one year of imprisonment, a $50,000 fine, and one year of supervised release.
Sentencing hearings for Dandridge, Taylor, Taber, Thompson, and Russell are scheduled before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker as follows:
Dandridge – April 25, 2023
Taylor – May 17, 2023
Taber – May 25, 2023
Thompson – May 2, 2023
Russell – June 21, 2023
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
