N.J. psych practice revealed patients' mental disorders in debt lawsuits

[HereSince1628]

When a New Jersey lawyer named Philip received legal papers last year informing him that his former psychologist's practice was suing him over an unpaid bill, he was initially upset they could not work out a payment arrangement outside of court.

It was only later, Philip said in an interview, that he scanned the papers again and realized something else: The psychology group to which he'd confided his innermost feelings had included his mental health diagnosis and treatments he received in publicly filed court documents.

The greatest fear of many patients receiving therapy services is that somehow the details of their private struggles will be revealed publicly. Philip, who requested his last name not be used to protect his privacy, said he felt "betrayed" by his psychologist. He worried that his legal adversaries would find the information and try to use it against him in court.

"It turned my life upside down," he said.

Short Hills Associates in Clinical Psychology, the group based in New Jersey that treated Philip, has filed dozens of collections lawsuits against patients and included in them their names, diagnoses and listings of their treatments.

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http://www.phillyvoice.com/new-jersey-psychology-practice-revealed-patients-mental-disorders-debt-lawsuits/

[Tobin S.]

1. I thought that information could only be legally disclosed

with the consent of the patient unless there was an issue where someone's life was in danger.

[HereSince1628]

2. yes, so do many of us...

And a lot of people sued for non-payment for HIV treatments apparently also thought that was true.

But you know when you're in court to get payment for services rendered...you are going to want to name what those services were.

[Tobin S.]

3. Yeah, but it doesn't seem like they could legally disclose a diagnosis.

They could say a person received treatment without saying that he or she had whatever illness and without disclosing details of the treatment. Sometimes people who see psychologists aren't mentally ill.

[HereSince1628]

4. Considering the discrimination against people with mental disorders, we would hope so.

We believe that the psychiatric industry is the most friendly to HIPAA issues for their patients.

Then this happens.