Privacy of Hospital Records at Issue in Hong Kong Protests

A member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council has reported that the Hospital Authority has disclosed the patient information of political protestors to law enforcement agencies. The Hospital Authority is the statutory body governing all Hong Kong public hospitals. The Authority has denied the allegation. The Council Member Dr. Chan this week produced the hospital records of 76 patients, containing their names, ID numbers, and time, date, and location of admission. On a page marked "For Police," the patients were listed as "mass gathering outside Legco." Legco is the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. So far, four protesters identified in the hospital records have been arrested. EPIC has long advocated for strong confidentiality protections for medical records. EPIC has also warned that data collection programs can stifle freedom of expression.