May 11, 2002

MEDPUNDIT SYDNEY SMITH reports on The New York Times' firing of one of its corporate physicians for refusal to violate employee privacy. Here's the story medpundit links to. Remember this the next time The Times gets on its moral high horse:

While working as The New York Times' corporate physician, Dr. Horn said, company executives asked her to let them see patients' medical records even though she didn't have patient permission to share the confidential information.

She also claims, in court documents, that the vice president for human resources told her to "misinform employees regarding whether injuries or illnesses they were suffering were work-related so as to curtail the number of workers' compensation claims filed against The Times."

When she didn't comply, Dr. Horn said, she was fired.