Woman sues hospital for posting STD results on facebook


Imagine that someone broadcast your very personal secret on Facebook. Unfortunately for one Ohio woman, that’s exactly what happened when several  hospital employees leaked her medical records that revealed she had an STD  to the social networking site. She’s now suing the hospital for more than $25,000 in damages.  

Back in September, the woman, who remains anonymous and lives in the town of Winton Hills, was being treated for Syphilis at the  University of Cincinnati Medical Center . Shortly after, hospital employees snapped a photo of her records, including her name and diagnosis, and posted it to the Facebook page ‘Team No Hoes,’ prompting commenters to call the woman a ‘hoe’ and a ‘slut.’ 

Local news affiliate  WLWT  reports that, on Tuesday, the woman filed a lawsuit in Hamilton County against the medical center; a female employee named Ryan Rawls; an unnamed female employee believed to be a nurse; and the nurse’s ex-boyfriend, Raphael Bradley (who doesn’t work at the hospital). According to the woman’s  attorney Mike Allen  the release of the medical records violates state and federal laws. 

‘Any time you go to the hospital, you should expect to have your information protected,’ Allen tells Yahoo Shine. ‘We are suing for four reasons unauthorized disclosure of non-public records which is a civil offense, invasion of privacy, emotional distress, and negligent supervision of hiring, meaning the hospital is responsible for the behavior of its staff.’ 

Yahoo Shine could not reach a representative from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for comment, however, on Thursday, spokeswoman Diana Lara told  WLWT , “We have not received a copy of the lawsuit but we will certainly investigate it and we cannot comment on pending litigation.’

Allen added that the woman has withdrawn from her family and friends due to embarrassment and that some of her friends have ridiculed her after the news spread on Facebook. Here’s hoping that she wins her case. 

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