HIPAA Alert: Termination Checklist

In 2012, an employee with the UCLA School of Medicine was sentenced to four months in prison after being found guilty of accessing and reading confidential medical records of his colleagues and other patients — with no legitimate reason, medical or otherwise.

He claimed “not to know” that unauthorized access of records was a federal crime. The court rejected that defense.

What makes the story even more interesting is that his access occurred after he was terminated from his job. 

Supervisors: This case highlights the importance of using the Termination Checklist  provided by HR on mhsintranet to ensure that all steps are taken to terminate an employee’s access to the network. 

Terminating user access has to happen quickly, and it can be challenging. Don’t make yourself a target. Follow the checklist, and contact Paula Pittman, Director of Employee Relations, at (402) 354-2221 if you have questions.