Dive Brief:
- Nina Pham, the nurse at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas who contracted the Ebola virus while on the job filed a lawsuit against the hospital on Monday.
- The lawsuit claims that the hospital failed to provide her with the proper training and equipment to protect her from Ebola. It also claims that the hospital violated her privacy by sharing her medical records without her consent.
- The amount Pham is seeking in damages is unspecified, but she is requesting compensation for physical pain, mental anguish, medical expenses and loss of future earnings.
Dive Insight:
If Pham's lawsuit is successful, it could set a dangerous precedent for hospitals. Clinicians frequently come into contact with patients who have infectious diseases, and there is only so much hospitals can do to make sure they are well-protected.
On the other hand, this lawsuit should also serve as a warning to hospitals about preparing in advance for public health emergencies (like the current measles outbreak). Any time there is a major disease outbreak or epidemic—even in another country—hospitals should be prepared for "when", not "if," the disease finally reaches the US.