Five former employees of Memphis, Tenn.-based Methodist University Hospital pleaded guilty to unlawful disclosure of patient information in violation of HIPAA, according to an April 25 news release from the Justice Department.
The former hospital employees are accused of conspiring with Roderick Harvey, 41, to disclose the names and phone numbers of Methodist patients who had been involved in motor vehicle accidents.
Prosecutors say that between November 2017 and December 2020, Mr. Harvey paid Kirby Dandridge, 38; Sylvia Taylor, 43; Kara Thompson, 31; Melanie Russell, 41; and Adrianna Taber, 26, to provide him with the information about patients, which he then sold to third parties including personal injury attorneys and chiropractors.
On April 21, Mr. Harvey appeared in court and pleaded guilty to conspiring with the five former Methodist employees to violate HIPAA, the Justice Department said. Mr. Harvey faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release. His sentencing is set for Aug. 1.
The Justice Department said the five former Methodist employees previously pleaded guilty to disclosing the information to Mr. Harvey in violation of HIPAA. They each face a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a $50,000 fine, and one year of supervised release. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled in the coming months.
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare shared the following statement with Becker's: "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."