ESPN's Adam Schefter has been slammed for posting the medical chart of New York Giants Jason Pierre-Paul after the star lineman had his fireworks-injured finger amputated, but the sportscaster apparently didn't break any laws.
Schefter broke the news about Pierre-Paul losing the finger in a Twitter post on Wednesday, which included a photo of a medical record.
The hospital where Jason Pierre-Paul was treated said it is launching an "aggressive internal investigation" to find out if a staffer leaked the private medical records to Schefter
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known also has HIPPA, protects medical records, and its website states that "information your doctors, nurses and other health care providers put in your medical records" is not allowed to be given to the general public,
according to NJ Advance Media.
However, Sports Illustrated's Michael McCann said if Pierre-Paul wanted to pursue action, invasion of privacy would be a stronger avenue that HIPPA, but even then, ESPN still is on solid ground.
Kelly McBride, a media ethics expert with the Poynter Institute in Florida, told
CNN on Money that even though ESPN is in the clear, the person who gave Schefter the record may be in big trouble.
"HIPAA laws apply to a very specific list of medical professionals," said McBride.
Regardless, Schefter was showered with criticism for showing the record this week regardless.
Pierre-Paul and C.J. Wilson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers both had fingers amputated during separate firework incidents over the Independence Day weekend.
Wilson reportedly lost an index and middle finger when a canister he was holding with fireworks inside exploded.
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