Iowa hospital to fire 3 over patients' records breach

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics will fire three employees and suspend two others after an investigation confirmed they inappropriately breached the electronic medical records of hospitalized football players, a spokesman said. The hospital launched an investigation last week after acknowledging the medical records of the 13 Iowa football players who were hospitalized with a rare muscle disorder may have been inappropriately accessed. Hospital spokesman Tom Moore said the investigation confirmed there were five employees responsible for the breaches, and the student-athletes affected have been notified. Moore said the hospital will not release the names of the employees involved or their positions. He said the hospital was "in the process" of terminating the three, but would not elaborate on what that would entail. He said the two others would serve five-day unpaid suspensions.