LAS VEGAS, Nov 22, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- At least one employee of a Las
Vegas hospital appears to have sold confidential information about patients to
lawyers, the Las Vegas Sun reports.
The newspaper said the information is related to victims of car accidents
treated at University Medical Center.
The FBI is considering an investigation.
Patients and their families were outraged about personal information being
compromised at the hospital, which is owned by Clark County.
Some employees said the revelation was not surprising.
"That's been going on for a long time," said a nurse who worked in the trauma
center.
The nurse told the Sun that several years ago she was approached by a firm of
personal-injury lawyers, who bought her lunch and offered to pay her for
referrals. She told them doing so would be illegal and would risk her nursing
license.
Phil Pattee of the State Bar of Nevada said lawyers who pay for referrals would
be violating rules that ban them from approaching potential clients directly and
splitting fees.
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Copyright 2009 by United Press International