LOS ANGELES – Years after hospital employees were accused of snooping into the medical records of celebrity patients, UCLA Health System agreed to pay an $865,000 settlement for potential violations of federal privacy laws.

The settlement that UCLA reached with federal regulators Wednesday did not name the stars involved and did not require the hospital system to admit liability.

The investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed that workers repeatedly accessed patients’ electronic health records between 2005 and 2008.

The hospitals have agreed to report to a federal monitor on the implementation of a corrective plan during the next three years.

In a statement Thursday, UCLA said it has taken steps in the past three years to retrain staff and strengthen its computer systems.

The hospital disciplined 165 employees through firings, suspensions and warnings.

 

Copy the Story Link

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.