Carroll County, Ga.-based family medicine physician Brent Harris, MD, has been sentenced to 12 months of probation after illegally accessing medical records, HIPAA Journal reported March 31.
Dr. Harris accessed medication and prescription information for Amy Hicks, a nurse who previously worked with Dr. Harris and a former business partner of his.
He used Ms. Hicks' prescription information to file an official complaint with the Georgia State Board of Nursing, resulting in her license being temporarily suspended. Her license was reinstated after an investigation by the board.
Dr. Harris was charged with two counts of computer invasion of privacy, two counts of unlawfully obtaining a prescription drug monitoring program and one count of negligently using prescription drug information. He will also pay a $1,000 fine and court costs.