Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Government Transparency Privacy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents cite possible HIPAA exposure in council backup materials; councilors ask for review
Summary
Two nurses raised concerns during public input that council backup materials distributed ahead of a previous meeting may have included protected health information and Social Security numbers, prompting requests for the clerk and staff to examine the practice and consider training or procedural fixes.
Two public speakers at the City Council’s Feb. 3 meeting urged the council to examine how backup materials are distributed after they said copies included personal health details and Social Security numbers.
Sandra Perrette, a registered nurse, told the council she was “extremely uncomfortable” after Councilor Wagner raised concerns at a prior meeting that backup packets provided to councilors and members of the public included employee health information and Social Security numbers. Perrette said the information could be protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and that the city should examine its practices to avoid legal exposure.
Julie LaRue, an RN and nurse practitioner, echoed the concern and told the council she had brought the matter to the mayor’s office. “The legal liability of the city is there at any time,” LaRue said, and urged training to reduce the risk of future disclosures.
Clerk Whittell had earlier signaled discomfort with the presence of private health data in backup packets, the speakers said. Councilors took the comments under advisement; no formal vote was taken at the Feb. 3 meeting. The mayor’s office and clerk’s office will need to review the specific backup material practices described by speakers and determine whether file redaction, restricted distribution or staff training is required. Speakers and some councilors requested that staff report back with a remedy so that confidential employee information is not publicly shared in meeting documents.
