University of Iowa Data Breach (2015)

A University of Iowa student health employee was fired and a second staffer disciplined after discussing pregnancy test results of the girlfriend of a "well-known athlete." The university considered it a violation of the federal patient privacy law known as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. The 1996 law protects patient privacy and confidentiality, and hospitals are required to track and report violations. The unidentified athlete was in the waiting room while his girlfriend visited the student health center in the Westlawn building for a pregnancy test on Dec. 31, according to documents obtained through an open records request. Kathryn Trump of Solon, who worked as a medical assistant for the university for 14 years and had received annual privacy training, said in front of at least one other employee she hoped the woman was happy with the positive test results.