Britney Spears Not Rushed to Hospital

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

Britney watchers can breathe easy.

Despite reports that Spears was "rushed" to the hospital today, her rep tells E! News she was simply there for a routine checkup.

"Everything is fine," says Spears' rep. "Britney is there for an annual physical."

Photogs claimed Brit-Brit was accompanied to UCLA Medical Center's Mattel Children's Hospital earlier today by two cars and a police escort.

And Perez Hilton had the Twitter world in a tizzy when he posted: "I'm hearing that @BritneySpears is in the emergency room right now. Hope it's nothing major and everything is okay! Maybe her kids?"

Imagine that, the blogosphere blowing something out of proportion.

Source: E! Online

More UCLA Workers Peeked At Britney's Medical Records

The following italicized article is from www.ok-magazine.com:

When Britney Spears was hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation last January at UCLA Medical Center, it was assumed that the singer would be safe in the hands of medical professionals.

But no one could have guessed that behind closed doors, trusted UCLA hospital workers were peeking at her confidential medical records.

In a new state report, The California Department of Health found that nearly twice as many medical center employees than were previously reported peeked at confidential medical records at UCLA.

In other words an additional 60 employees looked through patients' private records from 2004-2006, doubling the original reported number of accused employees.

Among those affected were Farah Fawcett, and California First Lady Maria Shriver.

The report also states the privacy of a "well-known individual" was breached by two nurses and an emergency room technician who called up the patient's computerized records as recently as mid-April.

"What we're seeing here is a clear pattern of repeated violations of patient medical records and patient confidentiality by UCLA," said Kim Belshe, secretary of the state's Health and Human Services Agency. "It is absolutely unacceptable."

The latest findings show how one employee--a former administrative specialist who now faces federal criminal charges for violating Fawcett's privacy--looked at the records of 939 patients "without any legitimate reason" from April 2003 to May 2007.

She also looked at other personal information, including Social Security numbers, according to the state report.

"What's startling to us is, as we get to a point where we feel we've addressed a specific complaint and a specific issue, we identify additional issues," Kathleen Billingsley, director of the state health department's Center for Healthcare Quality said. "It's very disturbing to see this."

The hospital said it has notified all patients whose privacy was breached by the indicted woman, and has updated its systems to block complete Social Security numbers from its main clinical systems.

"All other employees who were found to have violated patient confidentiality during our review have been disciplined, including some who have been terminated," Dr. David Feinberg, chief executive of the UCLA Health System, said.

"On behalf of the entire leadership of the UCLA Health System, I am deeply sorry for this failure, and the personal distress these breaches may have caused."

Source: OK Magazine

Snooping Through Britney's Medical Files? Bad Idea...

The Los Angeles Times reports that UCLA is trying to fire at least 13 employees for looking at Britney Spears' medical records. In a statement to ET this morning, the UCLA Health System says:

"UCLA Health System considers patient confidentiality a critical part of our mission of teaching, research and patient care. All staff members are required to sign confidentiality agreements as a condition of their employment and complete extensive training on HIPAA-related privacy and security issues. We have stringent policies to protect patient confidentiality and address violations of those policies.

"When possible confidentiality breaches arise, UCLA immediately launches an investigation and appropriate disciplinary action would then be initiated. Due to the confidential nature of both patient and personnel issues, no further information is available.

"The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provides national standards to protect the security and privacy of a patient's health information."

Poor girl just can't be left alone...

Source: Breathe Heavy

Britney Spears Expected In LA Court

The following italicized article is from www.accesshollywood.com:

Exactly three months have passed since Britney Spears left a psychiatric ward and promptly stirred up a paparazzi car chase, a scene that looked like the beginning of even more erratic behavior for the troubled pop star.

In the weeks that followed, Spears started acting out of character, all right: She laid low and avoided the cameras. She spent time with family members. She found work, and succeeded at it.

With that stability and momentum to build on, it would appear Spears’ child-custody hearing Tuesday had the potential for a positive outcome — as long as she gets it together to show up this time. All indications are that she will.

The troubled 26-year-old pop star, who has been under the conservatorship of her father since her one-week-early release from UCLA Medical Center, is expected to attend the custody status hearing in a downtown courthouse with her parents. Her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, will also attend, said his spokesman, Elliot Mintz.

Federline has had full custody of his two sons by Spears, 2-year-old Sean Preston and 1-year-old Jayden James, since January, when police were called to Spears’ home after she refused to relinquish one of the boys to a Federline bodyguard. Spears was taken by ambulance to a hospital after the incident. Her visitation rights were suspended at the time, but have been gradually restored in recent months.

Tuesday’s hearing will include discussion of a psychiatrist’s evaluation of Spears, a person close to the case told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to speak publicly about the case and requested anonymity.

Commissioner Scott Gordon, who will preside over the hearing, could modify the couple’s visitation agreement Tuesday based on Spears’ recent conduct, the person said.

Spears was a constant media presence before the conservatorship took effect. Photographers captured her every visit to Starbucks and gas stations around Los Angeles, and documented a bout of bizarre behavior that included appearing in public without underwear, shaving her own head and beating a car with an umbrella.

Since Spears’ father, James, took over her affairs, the pop star has been relatively invisible to photographers, only occasionally snapped shopping or having dinner with her mother, Lynne. A traffic accident last month turned out to be a minor bumper-to-bumper incident in which no one was injured, and for which no one was cited.

Spears’ public appearances have been limited to a well-received cameo on CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother,” a role she reprised during a taping last week, a CBS spokeswoman said. The episode is set to air May 12.

“We’re thrilled to have Britney joining us once again,” series executive producer and co-creator Craig Thomas said in a statement last month. The show’s audience increased by a million viewers the week Spears appeared.

The pop star also made news last month when she took on full-time exercise and nutrition coaches from Bally Total Fitness.

Once known for her flawless figure, Spears was widely ridiculed for her flabby form in September during a universally panned performance on the MTV Video Music Awards that was meant to herald her comeback.

Spears has been elusive at recent court hearings, her every anticipated appearance drawing a circus of media and paparazzi. In January, she arrived at the courthouse wearing cocktail-party attire — a black minidress and gold platform shoes — and left before the custody hearing began. A lawyer for Federline said that behavior may have played a role in the commissioner’s decision that she remain barred from seeing her sons. Federline has allowed Spears limited visitation rights since Feb. 22.

Source: Access Hollywood

Britney & Kevin to Meet in Court

The following italicized article is from www.people.com:

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are both expected to attend a hearing in Los Angeles family court Tuesday for a progress review, sources confirm.

Though Spears has spent the last several months keeping a relatively low profile – and staying out of trouble – experts say it's unlikely the pair's current custody arrangement will change.

"As long as Britney remains under a conservatorship, she has a long way to go before the court views her as a capable mother," says L.A. family lawyer Scott Weston, who is not involved in the case.

Spears, who was hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center's psych ward in January, currently has monitored visitation rights with her sons, Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, several times a week – but no overnight privileges. Her father, Jamie, and a lawyer maintain legal control of her affairs until a July 31 hearing.

Spears has a spotty record of attending previous court hearings: On at least two occasions, the singer briefly appeared then abruptly left – in part due to the media frenzy.

Since her father took control of Spears's life, the singer has been spending more time with her family – including her previously estranged mom. (She recently attended a baby shower for her sister, Jamie Lynn, in Kentwood, La.)

Spears has also been hard at work filming her second appearance on How I Met Your Mother, which will air May 12.

Source: People

Docs Get Off Easy in Brit Snooping Scandal

The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:

All those years in medical school finally paid off for the doctors involved the Britney Spears medical records scandal at UCLA Medical Center.

A new report says that at least 53 UCLA Medical Center employees peeped the popwreck's files when they weren't supposed to -- but the non-doctors got stiffer punishments than the docs did. According to info obtained by the L.A. Times, 18 employees resigned, retired or were dismissed -- none of them physicians.

The report went on to say that the staff at UCLA was celeb-crazed and that employees ran to their computers "within minutes" of Brit's arrival at the hospital back in 2005 for the birth of Sean Preston.

Brit isn't the only celeb to have her records looked through. Farrah Fawcett and Maria Shriver were spied on as well by a UCLA Medical Center employee who also allegedly went through the files of 32 other celebs.

Source: TMZ

Britney and Her Boys Still Day-Tripping

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

Britney Spears shouldn't go planning any slumber parties just yet.

While the time she's spent with her two children over the past month has seemingly proved beneficial to all parties involved, overnight visits with Sean Preston and Jayden James are still a ways off, according to Kevin Federline's resident legal eagle, Mark Vincent Kaplan.

The attorney told E! News Friday that the monitored visits between Spears and her sons "have been nothing out of the norm," but that "there has to be consistency over time.

"I don't think 30 or 40 days is the magic number," Kaplan said.

After nearly two months of separation, Spears' visitation privileges were restored Feb. 22—after her father, Jamie Spears, and his attorneys reached a deal with K-Fed's camp—and she saw them the following day for the first time since Jan. 3, when she was briefly hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center following a custody-fueled standoff with police at her Beverly Hills home.

Kaplan continues to credit Jamie Spears' newfound presence in his daughter's life for this noticeably more amiable state of affairs.

"All we know is that since Jamie Spears has been involved it has been a very stabilizing force," he said.

The elder Spears has been serving as coconservator of the pop star's estate since Feb. 1, when she was admitted to UCLA Medical Center for psychiatric evaluation. Jamie and a court-approved psychiatrist are required to be present when Spears spends time with her sons.

Kaplan said that the next custody-related hearing is expected to take place in May, and he's still anticipating a trial, in preparation of which he has deposed a number of Spears' friends and associates, including off-again, on-again manager Larry Rudolph.

Regardless of what anyone says about him, it's still Federline's intention to do the right thing for his children, the lawyer said.

"The goal is to have a stabilizing and consistent order for the kids," Kaplan said. "His hope is that would involve the participation in a substantial way by their mother."

Federline has had primary custody of Sean and Jayden since October, when Spears was stripped of her 50-50 deal after a court commissioner determined she had violated numerous directives, including his orders that she make herself available for random drug testing and acquire proper insurance and a California license before getting behind the wheel with her kids in the car.

Source: E! Online

Britney Case Not Very Appealing

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

That's two strikes for the Yankee.

A three-judge panel tossed out an appeal of Britney Spears' conservatorship filed March 11 by New York-based attorney Jon Eardley, who persists in fighting for the songstress despite having been told he has no authority to work on her behalf.

Supposedly in collaboration with Sam Lutfi, Eardley first tried to have the Spears family drama removed to federal court, alleging Britney's civil rights had been violated because she never received notice of her father's intent to petition for control of her estate, but a judge ruled Eardley was out of line.

"Mr. Eardley fails to explain why he can bring this claim for her in the first instance. He cannot," U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez wrote in his decision. "Mr. Eardley had no authority to remove the case from state court. He is neither a party nor a defendant. While he claims to be Ms. Spears's attorney, the probate court...found that she was incapable of retaining her own counsel."

And although Eardley bolstered his appeal with a declaration from a UCLA law professor who agreed Britney was not properly notified before Jamie Spears was temporarily handed the keys to his daughter's estimated $100 million fortune, the appellate court determined the arrangement laid out in probate court was perfectly kosher.

"An order granting letters of temporary conservatorship is specifically excluded from those orders made appealable by the Probate Code," read the 2nd District Court of Appeal's decision.

L.A. Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz named Jamie and attorney Andrew Wallet coconservators of Britney's estate on Feb. 1, the day after she was admitted to UCLA Medical Center's neuropsychiatric ward for evaluation. Earlier this month, she extended the order until at least July 31.

Source: E! Online

Expert Agrees Britney Case Not Quite Kosher

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

The attorney who persists in representing Britney Spears, despite having been given instructions to the contrary, is still on the court's case.

New York-based lawyer Jon Eardley filed a new batch of documents Monday related to his appeal of the legality of Britney's conservatorship, including a declaration from a UCLA law professor that supports his theory that the 26-year-old pop star never received proper notice—as mandated by state law—that her father was seeking control of her estate.

A Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner named Jamie Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet coconservators of Britney's estimated $100 million fortune on Feb. 1, a day after she was committed to the neuropsychiatric ward at UCLA Medical Center for observation.

Since then, Commissioner Reva Goetz has ruled that Britney was not fit to hire her own counsel and, most recently, allocated a $1,500 weekly spending allowance for the "Toxic" singer and a $2,500-per-week stipend for her dad while he's managing her affairs and authorized Jamie and Wallet to sell some of Britney's cars. The conservatorship has been extended until at least July 31.

Meanwhile, professor William McGovern stated in a declaration filed Monday that Britney should have been personally served notice of the court proceedings occurring while she was in the hospital because her case was not one where the rule of offering at least five days notice did not apply. In Britney's case, she was not facing imminent substantial harm.

Because Britney wasn't notified, due process law dictates that Jamie's heightened status should have been good for no more than 30 days, the declaration says.

Britney's right to pick her own lawyer was infringed upon by the appointment of her father as conservator, which allowed him to restrict and limit her visitors and who she can contact, McGovern continued.

He stated that he arrived at his conclusion after reviewing Goetz's temporary conservatorship order and corresponding documents filed by Jamie and Lynne Spears.

After a federal judge refused to remove the case from probate court, Eardley appealed the conservatorship and Jamie's court-ordered allowance on Mar. 11, despite U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez's previous finding that he had "no authority" to go to bat for Britney.

Meanwhile, documents released Wednesday shed some light as to why Jamie's camp is looking to liquidate his daughter's vehicular fleet, which includes two white Mercedes, a white Mini Cooper convertible and a black Audi. (View related filings.)

Apparently Britney owns seven rides of various shapes and sizes and unloading the cost of maintaining, insuring and storing the vehicles will "save substantial expenses to the conservatorship estate."

Source: E! Online

Brit's Psych Ward -- No Cells, No Laptops!

The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:

The UCLA psych hospital where Britney Spears spent a 5150 stint earlier this year is now officially a cellphone- and laptop-free zone, after patient photos popped up on the 'net.

It doesn't look like any of the snaps, which appeared on an unnamed "social networking" site, are of the Britwreck, reports the L.A. Times. Still, the hospital is concerned that even though the psych patients supposedly gave their consent to be photographed, they "might not be well-reasoned or fully competent" enough to know what they were getting themselves into.

Dr. Thomas Strouse, the medical director of the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, says in a statement that patients will still have access to landlines. The ban actually went into effect March 3, before it was reported that UCLA canned at least 13 workers and suspended six others for snooping in Brit's medical records. The hospital stresses that the two incidents aren't related.

Source: TMZ

Lutfi Looks to Oust Britney Commish

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

Sam Lutfi is getting with the program. He wouldn't mind changing the channel, though.

Despite having agreed to an extension of the restraining order mandating he stay away at least 250 yards away from Britney Spears, Lutfi filed a motion Friday objecting to the Los Angeles court commissioner who's presiding over the case.

"Sam did agree to a 30-day extension of the restraining order," Lutfi spokesman Michael Sands told E! News on Tuesday. "However, Sam Lutfi is not stipulating to Commissioner [Reva] Goetz. If need be, Lutfi can be heard in front of a Los Angeles Superior Court judge." (View the notice.)

Lutfi, who sources have said was involved in the recent effort to get Spears' conservatorship case moved to federal court, would be willing to appear in court on April 16—the temporary restraining order's new expiration date—to state his position.

"There's nothing out of the ordinary that Sam is doing," Sands insisted. "No person has to agree to a commissioner hearing the case. A commissioner is not a judge. If need be, and if this is going to go on, unfortunately, then [Lutfi wants it] heard in front of a judge. Basically, I just believe that Sam would like all of this to go away."

While a commissioner performs many of the same actions as a judge—a commissioner is also overseeing Spears and Kevin Federline's custody issues—all sides involved have to agree to it.

Sands maintains that the continued scrutiny Lutfi has been subjected to since Jamie and Lynne Spears sought to keep him away from their daughter is unfair.

"I personally have been in touch with LAPD, mental health experts and paramedics who were at the home the night [Jan. 31] of the UCLA intervention," Sands said. "They all gave Sam Lutfi five stars for orchestrating and participating in getting Britney to UCLA."

"I believe that if Sam brought his witnesses to court, need be, it would take the wind out of the conservators' sails," the rep added. "We all should just take it down and just have peace and harmony and everybody be left alone. Let it go away quietly."

In her argument in favor of a restraining order, Lynne Spears filed a declaration last month alleging that Lutfi drugged her daughter, "essentially moved into her home" and went to great lengths to control her life.

Source: E! Online

Lutfi "Respects Britney," Will Stay Away

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

Sam Lutfi wants out of the increasingly harsh limelight for awhile.

A court commissioner signed off Monday on the agreement his camp brokered last week with Britney Spears' family to extend the temporary restraining order against him for another month.

"He respects Britney, he respects the temporary restraining order and everyone is beating him up for no reason," Lutfi's rep, Michael Sands, said after the hearing. "Enough is enough."

Lutfi, who dodged process servers for several weeks after the order was first granted to Jamie and Lynne Spears on Feb. 1, will continue to stay at least 250 yards away from Britney and any property she owns until Apr. 16.

A federal judge had previously extended the order on Feb. 21, the day Lutfi was finally served.

The singer's erstwhile BFF has been the target of serious accusations from Britney's parents since her Jan. 31 hospitalization at UCLA Medical Center.

Lynne Spears has alleged that Lutfi drugged Britney by adding crushed, unspecified pills into her food, an issue the Los Angeles Police Department has taken into consideration for a formal investigation. Jamie Spears' attorneys have stated in court documents that his daughter's pal hit up her since-fired business manager, Howard Grossman, for money.

Lutfi admitted to giving Britney a handful of pills on Jan. 30, claiming that they "worked wonders" on the troubled songstress, who sources said wasn't sleeping and was displaying erratic, anxious behavior in the days leading up to her week-long stay at UCLA.

Britney's medical issues and finances were also discussed Monday, albeit in a closed courtroom.

"Orders were submitted and will be considered about her medical condition, but privacy issues require these remain sealed," Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini told E! News.

A hearing on the 730 psych evaluation Goetz ordered to help determine Britney's ability to make decisions that are currently under the control of her coconservators has been scheduled for Apr. 17, the day after the court is set to revisit the Lutfi affair.

Source: E! Online

x17 XCLUSIVE - Brit Visited By Doc

The following italicized article is from www.x17online.com:

Britney's doctor was dropped off about an hour ago at UCLA Medical Center by Britney's bodyguard, chauffeured in Brit's SUV.

Looks like Britney's keeping up with her court-mandated mental health routine and we can only hope it's having a positive effect!

It's hard to tell these days, since Brit rarely speaks ...

Do you think Britney looks healthier than she did a few months ago? Happier?

Source: X17

Which Screwup is Worse: Quaid or Britney?

The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:

Two big hospital screw ups are front and center this weekend -- UCLA firing 13 workers who violated part confidentiality agreement by ratting out Brit, and Dennis Quaid opening up about a medical mess up at Cedars that almost killed his kids.

Is a careless nurse and an alleged cover-up worse than spilling secrets about a famous patient? You decide!

Vote here!

Source: TMZ

Hospital Fires Workers for Snooping Through Britney Spears' Files

The following italicized article is from www.usmagazine.com:

UCLA Medical Center is firing some employees for snooping through Britney Spears' confidential medical records while she was hospitalized in a psych ward earlier this year.

More than 13 employees (none are doctors) will be axed, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Twelve others, including several doctors, will also be disciplined for looking at her non-psychiatric computer records from her previous visits to the Los Angeles medical center.

The Times reports that there is no evidence yet that any employees leaked or sold the information.

This isn't Spears' first peeping problem.

In 2005, several workers were fired after they went through her records after she gave birth to son Sean Preston.

Source: US Weekly

Report: UCLA Firing Hospital Workers for Snooping on Britney

The following italicized article is from www.people.com:

UCLA Medical Center will be firing at least 13 employees and is disciplining others, including physicians, for looking at Britney Spears's medical files, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Spears, 26, was involuntary hospitalized at the campus's psych ward for one week beginning Jan. 31, after her doctor made the request.

But the records reviewed by those who are targeted for dismissal were from previous hospitalizations at UCLA, the Times reports. The dates and purposes of those hospitalizations weren't known.

UCLA officials declined to comment on the reported firings, but said in a statement: "UCLA Health System considers patient confidentiality a critical part of our mission of teaching, research and patient care. ... We have stringent policies to protect patient confidentiality and address violations of those policies."

Source: People

Hospital Fired Up Over Britney

The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:

Britney Spears' health has caused a major headache at UCLA Medical Center.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that at least 13 hospital employees are going to be fired and at least six others have been suspended for poking around in the pop star's confidential medical records. Six doctors are facing disciplinary action, as well.

"It's not only surprising, it's very frustrating, and it's very disappointing," Jeri Simpson, hospital director of human resources, told the paper. "I feel like we do everything that we possibly can to ensure the privacy of our patients, and I know we feel horrible that it happened again."

Echoing the sentiments of many, to be sure, she added, "I don't know what it is about this particular person. I don't know what it is about her."

This isn't the first time inquiring minds have wanted to know too much—several people were canned following the birth of Spears' son, Sean Preston, in September 2005, as well.

While the most noticeable obstacle to patient privacy was the horde of paparazzi that accompanied Spears and a phalanx of law enforcement to UCLA in the wee hours of Jan. 31, when she was admitted to the hospital's psych ward on a 72-hour hold for evaluation, it turns out it was the staff inside that needed reminding to keep their distance.

Spears was released Feb. 6, although doctors originally prescribed 14 days of bed rest.

Insiders have said it wasn't Spears' most recent stay that led to the pending disciplinary action, however, but rather a series of confidentiality breaches stemming from previous hospital visits.

When Spears was admitted to the facility Jan. 31, officials sent a memo to hospital staffers reminding them of their patient obligations.

"Each member of our workforce, which includes our physicians, faculty, employees, volunteers and students, is responsible to ensure that medical information is only accessed as required for treatment, for facilitating payment of a claim, or for supporting our healthcare operations," wrote chief compliance and privacy officer Carole A. Klove in an email obtained by the Times.

"We regularly monitor access to patient records, and in the event of an inappropriate access, we will investigate it, and if a violation is found, we will take appropriate action which can include termination," she said.

Meanwhile, union representatives are investigating to make sure the employees potentially on the chopping block are treated fairly.

Source: E! Online

UCLA Hospital Axes Employees Who Spied on Spears

The following italicized article is from www.pagesix.com:

UCLA Medical Center is in the process of firing at least 13 employees, and suspending even more, for looking into former patient Britney Spears' records.

The Los Angeles Times reports that workers (including physicians) snuck unauthorized peeks at Brit's file both during her recent stay in the psychiatric ward, and previously, when she gave birth to son Sean Preston at the hospital's Santa Monica location.

When the 26-year-old singer was admitted on January 31, employees were warned that unless they were directly caring for Britney, her information was off-limits.

Director of human resources at the Santa Monica center, Jerri Simpson, told the paper that they treat stars "all the time and you never hear about this... I don't know what it is about this particular person, I don't know what it is about her."

Source: Page Six

UCLA Workers Fired for Peeking at Brit's Records

The following italicized article is from www.ok-magazine.com:

UCLA medical Center, which recently treated Britney Spear as a patient in its psych ward, has taken steps to fire at least 13 employees on Friday for allegedly snooping in her medical files.

The L.A. Times is reporting that at least six others have been suspended and an additional six doctors are facing dicipline for looking at her computerized records.
Sources say all of the employees are being blamed for snooping in files that relate to Britney's past hospital stays, and not her most recent hospitalization on Jan.31.

Officials admitted that this is not the first time UCLA had diciplined workers for looking at Brit's files either. Several employees were caught snooping after the pop singer gave birth to her first son, Sean Preston, in 2005 at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center.

"It's not only surprising, it's very frustrating and it's very disappointing," said Jeri Simpson, the Santa Monica hospital's director of human resources. "I feel like we do everything that we possibly can to ensure the privacy of our patients and I know we feel horrible that it happened again."

UCLA officials said they sent a memo the morning Britney was hospitalized on Jan. 31, warning employees that they were not allowed to look at records unless directly caring for a patient.

Simpson said the hospital is used to treating celebrities "all the time and you never hear about this. I don't know what it is about this particular person, I don' t know what it is about her".[Britney]

Source: OK Magazine

Massive Firing -- You Can't Do Dat to Brit!

The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:

UCLA Medical Center is terminating at least 13 staff members and suspending at least six others for looking at the confidential medical records of Britney Spears while she was hospitalized there.

The LA Times reports that in addition to these firings, at least six doctors will face disciplinary action for snooping into her computerized records at the hospital. According to the Times, UCLA officials admitted this wasn't the first time Spears' privacy had been compromised. Several employees were caught snooping into her records in September 2005 after she gave birth to her first son, Sean Preston, at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center. A few of those employees were fired as well.

Spears was admitted to the hospital on January 31 -- after being placed on a "5150 hold" when it was determined she posed a danger to herself or others. She was released February 6.
Source: TMZ