Patient privacy vs. informative reporting

The June 29th porch collapse at a Chicago apartment building became a test case for reporters and hospitals dealing with a new federal patient privacy law.

In the past, city hospitals released names, ages and addresses of victims of accidents or violence. Now hospital leaders fear stiff fines under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

"Though 57 partygoers were injured in the porch collapse, Chicago readers learned the names of almost none of them because reporters were unable to identify anyone treated at area hospitals, unless those victims sought out the papers," writes Mark Fitzgerald in an Editor & Publisher article.