Employees disciplined, some fired, for snooping in records

Carilion Clinic has fired or disciplined 14 employees who inappropriately accessed a patient's record, according to an article in The Roanoke Times.

The snooping was discovered through the record's log which records every time identified by the record itself, which records every time an employee accesses a record. The system also creates a data trail which helps determine whether the employee had a reason to look at the record. 

"Based on the findings of our internal investigation, appropriate actions have been taken with each employee, up to and including termination," the organization said in a statement released to the media. "Eleven of the employees were based in the New River Valley, while three were based in Roanoke."

The organization "provides ongoing education to employees regarding privacy rules and regulations and monitors their access to patient records." Potential issues warrant a complete investigation, it said. "Anything short of a thorough investigation and appropriate follow-up actions would be inconsistent with what is in our patients’ best interests."