What rights to confidentiality does a patient have in a drug treatment center?
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What rights to confidentiality does a patient have in a drug treatment center?
I was recently in an outpatient drug treatment center and was supposed to graduate this past Thursday. I got a new job that required me to travel out of town. While away, my probation officer called me to tell me that my urine analysis came back positive for alcohol. Only my PO and counselor were aware of this information. One of my friends called me out of town to tell me there were rumors being spread that I had run from the program because my UA was positive for alcohol and that one of the counselors had told them. Can I sue for breach of confidentiality if I signed a confidentiality agreement?
Asked on September 23, 2012 under Personal Injury, Missouri
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Potentially there may be a HIPPA violation by the drug treatment center for releasing test results to non-authorized people concerning you. Possibly you can sue for breach of a confidentiality agreement of a HIPPA violation but in reality you need to ascertain what your damages are in terms of dollars and cents before filing.
I suggest that you consult further with a personal injury attorney about what your legal recourse may be.
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