HCA Florida Kendall Hospital in Miami, part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, is facing a lawsuit over a photo that was posted on social media showing an injury of a patient, the Miami New Times reported Oct. 27.
Jose Lopez, the father of the patient, filed the lawsuit.
The lawsuit says an emergency room worker at the hospital posted an unauthorized photo of his 18-year-old son in the operating room weeks before the teenager died, according to the Miami New Times. The photo was posted on Instagram on May 28 after Mr. Lopez's son, Jose Lopez Canizares, sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident. His son died June 22.
"[The] public display of horrific images has caused and will continue to cause immeasurable profound grief," the lawsuit states, according to the Miami New Times.
In a statement shared with Becker's, the hospital acknowledged the photo and said it notified the family once it learned of the incident.
"Protecting patient privacy is a top priority for HCA Florida Kendall Hospital. We have clear policies in place and provide regular training on patient privacy. While the photo posted did not identify or show the patient, it did show an injury of the patient with a warning about staying safe on Memorial Day Weekend," the statement read.
"After learning of the incident and investigating it, we notified the family. We hold our colleagues accountable at all times and provided immediate retraining to our entire team regarding the importance of privacy, and we will continue to do so. We send our heartfelt condolences to the Lopez family."
Mr. Lopez also said a photo of his son being transported to the hospital was posted on another hospital worker's Instagram account. His lawsuit alleges medical privacy violations, negligence and infliction of emotional distress.
Read the full report here.