Hospital investigating leak of Jason Pierre-Paul's medical records
The Florida hospital where New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was treated after he suffered injuries in a fireworks accident is investigating the leak of his medical records to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter.
Schefter posted an image on Twitter Wednesday that he said was a portion of Pierre-Paul’s medical records from Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. The records showed that Pierre-Paul had his right index finger amputated after he was injured by fireworks on July 4.
“Late Wednesday, media reports surfaced purportedly showing a Jackson Memorial Hospital patient's protected health information, suggesting it was leaked by an employee,” Jackson Health System CEO Carlos A. Migoya said in a statement, according to CNN. “An aggressive internal investigation looking into these allegations is underway. If these allegations prove to be true, I know the entire Jackson family will share my anguish.”
• Report: Bucs CB C.J. Wilson loses two fingers in fireworks accident
The 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is intended to keep patients’ medical records private. Any hospital employee who released those records would be in violation of the law.
“If we confirm Jackson employees or physicians violated a patient's legal right to privacy, they will be held accountable, up to and including possible termination,” Migoya added.
ESPN told CNN in a statement that “HIPAA does not apply to news organizations.”
The amputation was intended to “minimize damage,” NJ Advance Media’s Jordan Raanan reported.
NFL.com reports Pierre-Paul also had surgery to insert pins into a broken thumb and could be out until the end of training camp.
Pierre-Paul is not currently under contract with the Giants. The team placed the franchise tag on him but he did not sign the one-year, $14.8 million franchise tender before his injury. He has until July 15 to reach a long-term deal but the Giants reportedly pulled a $60 million long-term contract offer earlier this week.
- Dan Gartland
