Doctor Who Allegedly Attacked Nurse’s Career, Violated HIPAA, Reaches Plea Deal
Dr. Brent Harris, a family medicine physician in Carroll County, Georgia, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for illegally accessing medical records. Dr. Harris, a well-known local doctor, owns multiple businesses and properties around the county and had no police record at the time of the arrest.
A 2007 graduate of Mercer University School of Medicine, Dr. Harris was previously affiliated with Tanner Medical Center - Carrollton.
Accessing Nurse’s Son’s Medical Records
According to reports, in March 2021, Dr. Harris accessed a pediatric patient’s chart that he was not caring for. Brett and Amy Hicks took their son to the ER after an incident that occurred at a school owned by Dr. Harris. The specific events surrounding the incident have not been released, but the police were called to the scene. Dr. Harris accessed the child’s chart and specifically looked into information about the parents, including prescriptions and daily medications.
Image: Amy Hicks
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After obtaining the prescription information, Dr. Harris allegedly used the information to file an official complaint with the Georgia State Board of Nursing against Amy Hicks’ nursing license. Hicks, a nurse with over ten years of experience, did have her license temporarily suspended pending an investigation but was fully reinstated and cleared.
Claims Against Nurse’s License Found To Be Baseless
Hicks previously worked as a trauma critical care nurse at Grady Health System. She currently works as a Nurse Practitioner at a medical day spa in Carroll County.
“He used some of that information he obtained about myself to file a complaint against my nursing license which was found baseless and ruled on with no fine or reprimand on my behalf,” said Hicks.
Interestingly, Hicks had worked with Dr. Harris in a healthcare setting and had also been former business partners. The extent of their professional and personal relationship has not been released.
“I am the person who always tries to go by the book and treat people how you want to be treated and it felt really defeating to know that someone that I once looked up to is now doing this to me and my family and that’s terrifying,” Hicks said.
Dr. Harris’ lawyer stated that the child’s medical records were accessed “in good faith” and no harm or abuse was actually done as a result.
Dr. Brent Harris' Sentencing
Brett Hicks spoke to the judge prior to sentencing and said, “Your honor, we’ll never know what happened to my child that day at the school because of Harris’s attack on my wife’s career, and her character, and us financially. If you do accept this plea, make sure that if he does this to anyone else again, he will be held accountable.”
“I just want to say to the Hicks' family, when all of this started. There was never any intent to hurt anybody. And so for the harm my actions have caused, I’m truly sorry,” Harris said prior to sentencing.
The judge accepted the plea deal and Dr. Harris was given 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine, and no jail time.
Originally, a grand jury indicted Dr. Harris on three counts of computer invasion of privacy, two counts of unlawfully obtaining a prescription drug monitoring program, and one count of negligently using, releasing, or disclosing PDMP information.
Support for Nurse Amy Hicks
Amy Hicks has garnered a great deal of support from family, friends and her community in the wake of the sentencing. According to her Facebook page, she claims she has been living a “nightmare”.
Despite the incident and the false report to the nursing board, Hicks owns the successful MedSpa Downtown that specializes in aesthetic procedures and is run by an all-female staff.
