MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Family members of George Floyd have been notified that multiple employees of a Minneapolis healthcare system have improperly accessed the man’s medical records sometime in the last 30 days, an attorney for the family said.
Attorney Antonio Romanucci told KARE 11 that family members received a letter from Hennepin Healthcare, notifying them of the breach.
Romanucci said the letter says those involved “no longer work at the organization.” He said the letter provided few other details, including how many people were involved and what information was accessed.
Romanucci said the family is considering suing Hennepin Healthcare.
“They feel it’s a continued assassination of George Floyd, his character,” Romanucci said. “It’s a non-stop issue. And they were very upset, very disturbed, disappointed that even in death, that George Floyd’s character is being maligned by people that didn’t have any business looking at his private medical record.”
Romanucci did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Hennepin Healthcare provided AP with a statement saying it does not comment on specific cases to maintain patient confidentiality. The healthcare system conducts privacy access audits, and when employees access medical records, the action is tracked and logged.
“Any breach of patient confidentiality is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. If it is determined that a violation has occurred, disciplinary action up to and including termination can be used,” Hennepin Healthcare said in an emailed statement.
The healthcare system said it complies with federal regulations that require patients to be notified in the event of a confirmed breach of privacy.
Floyd, a Black man who was in handcuffs, died May 25 after former white Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe and became motionless. Chauvin and three other former officers were charged.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.