The Iowa Supreme Court ruled April 7 a patient cannot use a hospital safety report as part of a lawsuit he filed against University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Radio Iowa reports.
In 2011, Dennis Willard was transferred to the Iowa City-based hospital after he was injured in a car crash in Davenport. He was sedated during the examination, which included a CT scan. He alleges the hospital mishandled him during the exam, and he sustained a dislocated shoulder as a result.
As part of the suit, Mr. Willard requested a copy of a Patient Safety Net report an employee filed about the dislocation incident.
"A PSN is an electronic form that allows UIHC employees to enter information about events that raise a safety concern for patients," according to court documents posted by Radio Iowa. "The UIHC encourages staff to enter a PSN for any safety concern … UIHC employees are informed that PSNs are confidential and protected."
A lower court ruled Mr. Willard should be given access to the report as part of the lawsuit's discovery phase, according to Radio Iowa.
However, the Iowa Supreme Court overturned that ruling, saying instead the PSN falls under Iowa's morbidity and mortality confidentiality privilege.