Bellevue, Wash.-based Overlake Hospital Medical Center is facing a lawsuit for allegedly using pixel tracking technology on its website that allowed third parties to gain access to some patients' protected health information, The Record reported Aug. 4.
The lawsuit, filed by Jacq Nienaber on Aug. 3, alleges that Overlake embedded a pixel tracker, dubbed Meta Pixel, onto its website.
According to the suit, the tracker was able to intercept patients' information via their "discussions with doctors and online health service requests."
Ryan Hodges, spokesperson for Overlake Hospital Medical Center, said the health system has not been informed of the lawsuit.
"Until that happens, we would need more information and time to be able to formulate an appropriate response to the allegations detailed in this case," he told the publication.
Mr. Hodges also told Becker's that although it is not able to comment on pending litigation, Overlake takes protecting patient information very seriously.
"We have a robust information systems program that strives to always protect patients' privacy and follow all regulatory guidelines to ensure patients' private health information is secure," he said.
Overlake Hospital Medical Center is one of many hospitals and health systems around the U.S. facing lawsuits for allegedly sharing healthcare data with third parties through pixel tracking technologies.