A senior staff nurse at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Muhammad Hazrul Sani, 34, has been sentenced to one week in jail for unlawfully accessing and misusing patient information from the hospital’s system.
The incident, which unfolded after Hazrul found a photograph of a woman on Instagram that indicated she was a patient at IMH, has raised serious concerns regarding patient confidentiality and privacy.
According to Straits Times, on October 25, 2022, Hazrul noticed a post by the 29-year-old woman, who had shared a photograph while attending an appointment with her psychiatrist.
He admitted that he found her attractive and was interested in getting to know her more, according to the report.
Following his attraction to her, Hazrul initiated contact through Instagram, claiming he recognized the location of her photograph due to his employment at IMH.
Over the following days, Hazrul sent multiple messages to the woman, revealing her actual name and referencing details from her mental health records, including advice given by her psychiatrist, her medication, and upcoming appointments. Despite the woman’s polite demeanor in response to his messages, she felt increasingly uncomfortable but refrained from expressing her discomfort for fear of offending Hazrul.
On October 31, 2022, Hazrul further intruded on her privacy by reminding her of her psychiatric appointment, indicating he would finish his morning shift around that time. When the woman eventually blocked him on Instagram, Hazrul escalated the situation by sending her a WhatsApp message, which he found through the patient system, and wished her a happy birthday the following month.
The situation came to light when the woman disclosed Hazrul’s messages to her psychologist, prompting IMH to launch an investigation. It was revealed that he had accessed her records on nine separate occasions.
Following the investigation, IMH disabled his access to the system on December 27, 2022, filed a police report on January 10, 2023, and subsequently terminated Hazrul’s employment in March 2023, the report added.
During the court proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Sunil Nair had requested a fine of $4,000 to $5,000, arguing that Hazrul may have believed the woman was comfortable with him accessing her information, given her social media post and her friendly responses.
However, Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng deemed the violations as a serious breach of patient privacy, emphasizing the sensitivity of mental health records, which often contain deeply personal and intimate information.
Judge Lee remarked, “Mental health issues often carry societal stigma, and disclosure of such information could lead to anxiety and distress on the part of the patient,” highlighting the potential long-term impact on the woman’s willingness to seek psychiatric help in the future.
In mitigation, Hazrul expressed regret for his actions, stating he was not thinking clearly due to personal issues, including a strained relationship with his ex-wife. He described his communications with the woman as a need for a “listening ear” during a difficult time.
After receiving his sentence, Hazrul requested leniency but ultimately agreed to begin serving his jail term. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding patient privacy in healthcare settings.
Image via google
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