A disturbing email crossed my desk (via the old-fashioned way, the post office—from an anonymous sender) on Wednesday, one which could hold legal implications for certain medical practitioners affiliated with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge.
The email, dated Feb. 6 but just received by LouisianaVoice, was from Dr. James Rhorer of Professional Emergency Physicians Associates of 7777 Hennessy in Baton Rouge. It was sent to about 125 recipients to warn them about the practice of photographing ER patients or parts of their anatomy and posting them on social media.
“If patients choose to photo, video, or snap themselves, that is their choice,” Rhorer said. “For us, however, there is a different standard. Simply stated, the body part belongs to the patient, not to us! We do not have the right to deliver any image (even with no facial recognition) to a social media platform.”
Rhorer said that photographing patients, even if the patient’s face is concealed, “will get you into hot water.”
He said that images obtained for educational purposes “must follow the organizational release signed by the patient for the sole use in an educational setting. Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat are not registered as educational platforms!”
Rhorer indicated that his email was more than a mere warning. “Disclosures must be made to a patient who has had a body part photographed on social media if it is discovered by the organization.
“This has occurred and the patients were NOT ok with it.” (emphasis ours)
In boldface type, Rhorer admonished the recipients, “Do not photograph (or record) any part of any patient without the strictest adherence to privacy and release policies. This is not allowed at OLOLRMC.”
Attempts to reach Dr. Rhorer for comment Thursday morning were unsuccessful.
Louisiana Voice 
This is a new kind of “sick”.
The lack of comments, save the one above and this one, must mean this story speaks for itself – which it does. One would think Dr. Rhorer’s memo states the obvious, but it must not since he felt the need to send it.