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By Kyle B. Hansen (contact) 
, Dave Toplikar (contact)
Published Friday, Dec. 11, 2009 | 11:32 a.m.
Updated Friday, Dec. 11, 2009 | 3:10 p.m.
Sun Archives
- UMC chief: Leak of patient information a ‘serious situation (11-24-2009)
- FBI to probe UMC leak of patient information (11-24-2009)
- At UMC, audits show privacy lapses are not new (11-24-2009)
- FBI looking at UMC records leak (11-21-2009)
- FBI, hospital in talks over leak of patient records (11-20-2009)
- Hospital privacy leak could harm patients (11-20-2009)
Six UMC staff members have been suspended for their treatment of a pregnant woman seeking help in the emergency room and more than 100 people have been notified their personal information might have been compromised.
University Medical Center officials today responded to the two ongoing investigations into emergency room practices at the region’s only public hospital.
The staff members were suspended pending the outcome of a hospital investigation into how Roshunda Abney, 25, was treated when she came seeking help Nov. 30 at UMC, hospital chief executive officer Kathy Silver said.
Abney has said she was ignored for so long at the hospital that she went home and gave birth to a premature baby that later died.
Others who were in the waiting room have corroborated accounts by Abney and her fiancé that they were ignored for several hours until they finally left.
Silver pledged that such practices won’t happen again.
“This is not something that we take lightly. It’s an emotional subject to talk about and we don’t like the fact that we didn’t live up to the expectations of our patients,” she said.
“What we want everyone to know, whether you’ve ever been a patient here or you might some day be a patient here, is that we expect to deliver the highest quality care and we expect to do it with dignity and compassion and there’s no exception to that,” Silver said.
In response to the second investigation, UMC sent out more than 100 notification letters today letting people know their personal information might have been illegally shared with others.
Silver was called this week before the state’s Legislative Committee on Health Care as a result of Las Vegas Sun stories that exposed an allegedly systematic leak of patient information at the hospital.
The 100 letters sent out today notify 71 patients who used the hospital’s Trauma Center Oct. 31 or Nov. 1 and people who accompanied the patients and provided personal information to the hospital.
Those getting the letters have been offered free credit monitoring for a year, Silver said.
One of the reasons the hospital took this long to notify patients was because of the time it took to negotiate a contract with Experian to provide the monitoring, Silver said. A second letter will be sent in the next couple of days explaining how to use the service now that the contract is complete.
The FBI has launched an investigation into the violations of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPAA — which includes penalties of up to $250,000 in fines and 10 years in jail.
“The FBI feels that they have made some progress in the investigation — they don’t exactly keep us daily updated — but we do feel that they are handling the investigation appropriately and we expect to get to the bottom of this,” Silver said.
Meanwhile, UMC has added new procedures to improve the protection of patient information, Silver said.
“We’ve taken steps to secure the areas of the hospitals where we felt we were vulnerable or where the information was vulnerable,” she said.
To enhance the protection of patient information, UMC employees will be required to enter a personal identification number on copy machines in patient care areas so photocopies can be tracked and audited, he said. Also, hospital officials are evaluating where additional electronic door access controls might be needed to further improve the security of patient information, spokesman Dan Kulin said.
Silver said there a number of people involved with the care of patients in the trauma center, including police and EMTs, so it is possible that someone other than a hospital employee shared the personal information.
If the source of the leak is found, Silver said, the hospital will insist the person is criminally prosecuted.
“If, as it has been suggested, there have been data leaks, then we will get to the bottom of it and we will take the appropriate action,” she said. “These are criminal offenses, they’re very serious.”
Anyone with information about the release of patient information or patients who have received unsolicited contact from a law firm are asked to call the UMC hot line at 1-888-691-0772 or contact UMC Privacy Officer Hope Hammond at 383-3854.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Should suspend the whole staff.
They think if you don't have insurance your scum.
Absolutely disgraceful.
WizardofOZ, what a coincidence. I am an RN-BSN from University of Kansas Hospital in KCK. It is one of the best hospitals in the Nation. Healthcare in general in Kansas is far far far better and more efficient. There is no way in hades that this would happen in any other healthcare system but here in Nevada. I have been here for 6 months and I am completely and utterly disillusioned with healthcare here. As a result I am leaving. I will not work in this horrid state ever again. I considered applying to UMC after being forced to resign from Mountain View simply because I did not have enough pto to use when I needed to travel to interview else where. Mountain View is supposed to be one of the best hospitals in Nevada and I dont think it would hold up to the worst hospital in Kansas city. I have heard way way too many horror stories from my patients about too many other hospitals in Nevada. As you so eloquently put it," Clark County government run healthcare at its finest. Run by "lifetime" insiders who ignore laws, cheat the public, hire "pals" at six figure incomes, hide bad practices, and get "cover" from Clark County Politicos.
This problem will never go away and healthcare in Nevada will continue to be equal to or lesser than the care you would expect from a third world country ran institution. It is sad that th officials are more worried about their pocket books and the bottom line that providing quality care to the Nevada populace. Just because they say this unfortunate and tragic occurrence will never happen again, does not mean it wont.
One last thing. I have a theory about the national and state healthcare systems. If you look at the US News and world report for the best hospitals in the nation during 2009, you will notice that there are absolutely NO hospitals in the state of Nevada on that list. I think that the states who have one maybe two or more hospitals on that list are giving the other facilities in the state a goal to shoot for. The fact that there are no Nevada hospitals on that list means that the blatantly substandard hospitals in this state have no desire and no competition to make themselves better.
My heart and soul goes out to the poor family who was unfortunate enough to need the best care available today and clearly did not get it and had no chance of getting it to begin with. Had they lived in California or Arizona or Utah, their loss would not have happened.
Oh please you people have no clue. I'm sorry. She didn't have a physician so she wants her care for free. Why in world was she having a baby to begin with. So the rest of us could care for that baby with Welfare. Sorry, I don't have any sympathy. It sickens me that this lady will not turn around and sue and get plenty of money to have more babies that she can ill afford. Take her back to the hospital and tie her tubes. I don't want to care for her brats.
The staff probably did society a favor. Sounds like another potential welfare parasite bit the dust. Who cares?
Nicely done Silver. Your proactive and tough stance is EXACTLY what was needed. Good job.
Sadly, I have experienced this poor care myself when my son had an emergency appendicitis a few years ago. It was just a matter of time for something like this to happen.
The irony is that while the UMC emergency room sucks, the trauma center is second to none. I have heard it said that if you get hurt, go to UMC trauma but if you get sick, never to the UMC emergency room!
whether she was looking for free health or not, the point IS, she needed help. UMC is the only county hospital, who services all in need no matter what. My condolences go out to this family. With all the hospitals in Las Vegas maybe we need to close UMC down. But that is just my oppinion.....
Every hospital in town has a 6-12 hour wait for the emergency room at this time of the year. If you come to the ER with abdominal pain plan to wait in the waiting room. If this women would have stated Im pregnant and having abdominal pain she would have been rushed back. This woman didnt know she was 5-6 months pregnant and that is the hospitals fault? Where was her prenatal care? Now its UMCs fault that she didnt take care of herself? I mean really your in that much pain but your going to go home? Sounds like that baby has been saved from a life with an idiot mother. I hope she gets not one penny of my tax payer dollars.
Well how can you state your pregnant if you dont even know.... give me a break. This hospital has been a sore thumb from the gate, who the heck has a million dollar advertising budget.... why must they advertise anyway, we know where they are located. I dont see other hospitals advertising as much as UMC does, plus they have there own tv show......lots of wasted money...OUR money from taxes paying to keep this eye sore functional.
Just used the ER a few days ago, sick child, the staff person who enters personal data into their computers asked me for my SS number and a bunch of other info verbally, I counted at least three people (non-employees) within earshot. So yes they have issues with keeping info private. They also made color copies of my ID and insurance cards in triplicate with all my info. Not very happy about it and will never go there again.
UMC failed to provide proper care. My previous comments were incorrect and heartless.