As Florida releases new COVID-19 death data, one medical examiner defies state’s secrecy

[libertybele]

As Florida releases new COVID-19 death data, one medical examiner defies state’s secrecy

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement released new data Thursday on Floridians who have died from COVID-19. And as has been its custom, the state didn’t provide the names of the dead.

But one prominent medical examiner refused to go along.

Stephen Nelson, medical examiner for Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties as well as chairman of the state Medical Examiners Commission, did his own records release for his own counties, and it includes what the state left out: names of those who have succumbed to the disease.

“It IS all public information,” said Nelson, responding by email to a question from the Miami Herald.............

..........Nelson’s release of the names drew a sharp contrast with the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis, which has released some information only after being pressured or sued by the news media. .............

https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/coronavirus/article242853166.html

[jmyrlefuller]

Holy HIPAA, Batman. You're not supposed to do that.

[libertybele]

Holy HIPAA, Batman. You're not supposed to do that.

We are experiencing a health emergency --- some HIPAA rules are waived...

........."With a disease such as COVID-19, it is essential for covered entities to notify public health authorities of an infected patient, as the public health authorities will need information in order to ensure public health and safety. It is permissible to share PHI with public health authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others responsible for ensuring the safety of the public, such as state and local health departments. These disclosures are necessary to help prevent and control disease, injury, and disability. In such cases, PHI may be shared without obtaining authorization from the patient.

Disclosures of PHI are also permitted to prevent and lessen a serious and imminent threat to a specific person or the public in general, provided such disclosures are permitted by other laws. Such disclosures do not require permission from a patient. In such cases, these disclosures are left to the discretion and professional judgement of healthcare professionals about the nature and the severity of the threat................"

https://www.hipaajournal.com/hipaa-compliance-and-covid-19-coronavirus/