In the wake of a “prescription drug epidemic that led to 113 overdose deaths,” administrators with Florida’s Sarasota County Sheriff's Office have been seeking additional information from doctors through “a form patients could sign that would waive their privacy rights and allow detectives to examine…records without getting permission from a judge,” the Herald-Tribune reports. Citing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) concerns, among other factors, the report notes the move has “drawn sharp criticism” from some in the medical community. One lawyer suggests the forms violate patients’ privacy rights under HIPAA.
Full Story