Policing Patient Privacy

Patient Privacy and Medical Care

ProPublica is exploring how patient privacy violations are affecting patients and the medical care they receive.

Impact of Our Reporting

New Jersey to Suspend Prominent Psychologist for Failing to Protect Patient Privacy

by Charles Ornstein

June 29, 2018, 4:15 pm EDT

New Jersey Seeks to Sanction Psychologist for Disclosing Patients’ Diagnoses in Court Filings

by Charles Ornstein

April 19, 2017, 12:00 pm EDT

38 stories published since 2014

Nursing Home Workers Still Posting Nude and Vulgar Photos of Residents on Snapchat

by Charles Ornstein

June 23, 2017, 8:00 am EDT
Inappropriate Social Media Posts by Nursing Home Workers, Detailed

by Charles Ornstein and Jessica Huseman

June 23, 2017, 7:59 am EDT
Federal Health Officials Seek to Stop Social Media Abuse of Nursing Home Residents

by Charles Ornstein and Jessica Huseman

August 8, 2016, 2:00 pm EDT
The Secret Documents That Detail How Patients’ Privacy is Breached

by Charles Ornstein

July 21, 2016, 8:00 am EDT
Health Gadgets and Apps Outpace Privacy Protections, Report Finds

by Charles Ornstein

July 19, 2016, 10:42 am EDT
As Cases Multiply, Officials Scramble to Stop Abuse of Nursing Home Residents on Social Media

by Charles Ornstein and Jessica Huseman

July 14, 2016, 8:00 am EDT
Stung by Yelp Reviews, Health Providers Spill Patient Secrets

by Charles Ornstein

May 27, 2016, 11:00 am EDT
New York Hospital to Pay $2.2 Million Fine for Allowing Filming of Patients Without Consent

by Charles Ornstein

April 21, 2016, 1:40 pm EDT
New York Top Court Revives Suit Against Hospital That Let Man’s Death Be Filmed

by Charles Ornstein

April 1, 2016, 11:05 am EDT
Another Senator Calls for Action on Social Media Abuse of Nursing Home Residents

by Charles Ornstein

March 15, 2016, 12:16 pm EDT
Senator Asks Privacy Regulators to Stop Abuse of Nursing Home Residents on Social Media

by Charles Ornstein

March 8, 2016, 5:15 pm EST
Nursing Assistant Fired, Charged After Posting Nude Video of 93-Year-Old on Snapchat

by Charles Ornstein

January 19, 2016, 2:36 pm EST
The Consequences for Violating Patient Privacy in California? Depends Where the Hospital Is

by Charles Ornstein

December 31, 2015, 9:00 am EST
Farrah Fawcett Was Right — We Have Little Medical Privacy

by Charles Ornstein

December 30, 2015, 12:17 pm EST
Another VA Headache: Privacy Violations Rising at Veterans’ Medical Facilities

by Annie Waldman and Charles Ornstein

December 30, 2015, 6:00 am EST
Methodology: How We Analyzed Privacy Violation Data

by Charles Ornstein and Annie Waldman

December 29, 2015, 5:00 am EST
Few Consequences For Health Privacy Law’s Repeat Offenders

by Charles Ornstein and Annie Waldman

December 29, 2015, 5:00 am EST
New Jersey Psychology Practice Revealed Patients’ Mental Disorders in Debt Lawsuits

by Charles Ornstein

December 23, 2015, 6:00 am EST
Nursing Home Workers Share Explicit Photos of Residents on Snapchat

by Charles Ornstein

December 21, 2015, 8:00 am EST
Inappropriate Social Media Posts by Nursing Home Workers, Detailed

by Charles Ornstein

December 21, 2015, 8:00 am EST
Celebrities’ Medical Records Tempt Hospital Workers to Snoop

by Charles Ornstein

December 10, 2015, 6:00 am EST
Small-Scale Violations of Medical Privacy Often Cause the Most Harm

by Charles Ornstein

December 10, 2015, 6:00 am EST
Privacy Not Included: Federal Law Lags Behind New Tech

by Charles Ornstein

November 17, 2015, 11:00 am EST
After Sexual Assault, Woman Says University Lawyers Accessed Her Counseling Records

by Charles Ornstein

October 23, 2015, 5:00 am EDT
When Students Become Patients, Privacy Suffers

by Charles Ornstein

October 23, 2015, 5:00 am EDT
Foes Dive for Discarded Records in Abortion Clinic Dumpsters

by Charles Ornstein

August 27, 2015, 8:00 am EDT
Activists Pursue Private Abortion Details Using Public Records Laws

by Charles Ornstein

August 25, 2015, 7:00 pm EDT
New York City Hospitals to End Filming Without Consent

by Annie Waldman

August 13, 2015, 10:43 am EDT
Health Data Breaches Sow Confusion, Frustration

by Charles Ornstein

April 14, 2015, 6:00 am EDT
Despite Wave of Data Breaches, Official Says Patient Privacy Isn’t Dead

by Charles Ornstein

March 20, 2015, 9:00 am EDT
New York Legislation Would Make It a Felony to Film Patients Without Prior Consent

by Charles Ornstein

March 3, 2015, 9:00 am EST
Ebola-infected Nurse Contends Dallas Hospital Violated Her Privacy

by Charles Ornstein

March 2, 2015, 4:25 pm EST
Podcast: Protecting Your Health Data

by Nicole Collins Bronzan

March 2, 2015, 1:44 pm EST
Fines Remain Rare Even As Health Data Breaches Multiply

by Charles Ornstein

February 27, 2015, 12:15 pm EST
When a Patient’s Death is Broadcast Without Permission

by Charles Ornstein

January 2, 2015, 9:00 am EST
Are Patient Privacy Laws Being Misused to Protect Medical Centers?

by Charles Ornstein

July 24, 2014, 11:30 am EDT