Indiana lawyer common sues hospital system over privateness of Ohio lady who traveled for abortion

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s lawyer common has sued the state’s largest hospital system, claiming it violated affected person privateness legal guidelines when a physician publicly shared the story of an Ohio lady who traveled to Indiana for an abortion.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Indianapolis federal courtroom, marked Legal professional Basic Todd Rokita’s newest try to hunt disciplinary authorized motion towards Dr. Caitlin Bernard. The physician’s account of a 10-year-old rape sufferer touring to Indiana to obtain abortion medication grew to become a flashpoint within the abortion debate days after the U.S. Supreme Courtroom overturned Roe v. Wade final summer season.

Rokita, a Republican, is stridently anti-abortion and Indiana was the primary state to approve abortion restrictions after the courtroom’s choice. The near-total abortion ban just lately took impact after authorized battles.

“Neither the 10-year-old nor her mom gave the physician authorization to talk to the media about their case,” the lawsuit said. “Reasonably than defending the affected person, the hospital selected to guard the physician, and itself.”

The lawsuit named Indiana College Well being and IU Healthcare Associates. It alleged the hospital system violated HIPPA, the federal Well being Insurance coverage Portability and Accountability Act, and a state legislation for not defending the affected person’s info.

Indiana’s medical licensing board reprimanded Bernard in Could, saying she didn’t abide by privateness legal guidelines by speaking publicly in regards to the lady’s remedy. It was far wanting the medical license suspension that Rokita’s workplace sought.

Nonetheless, the board’s choice obtained widespread criticism from medical teams and others who known as it a transfer to intimidate docs.

Hospital system officers have argued that Bernard didn’t violate privateness legal guidelines.

“We proceed to be disenchanted the Indiana Legal professional Basic’s workplace persists in placing the state’s restricted assets towards this matter,” IU Well being mentioned in an announcement. “We’ll reply on to the AG’s workplace on the submitting.”