It seems strange a medical center would claim "trade secrets." Is there a secret way to practice medicine or perform an appendectomy or heart transplant? One would think if there were, it should be shared for the good of all in the literature intended for that purpose - the biomedical literature.
DA seeks records that may aid probe of Montefiore death
Friday, January 16, 2009
By Daniel Malloy
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Allegheny County District Attorney's office is executing a search warrant today on UPMC documents that might shed more light on the death of the 89-year-old woman found on the roof of UPMC Montefiore in December.
The warrant is part of the ongoing investigation into the death of Rose Lee Diggs, of Homewood, that has spread into civil court. Investigators are seeking documents that are the subject of a lawsuit by UPMC against Michael R. Tantlinger, a former UPMC security official who the hospital claims stole thousands of pages of confidential materials.
According to court filings, Mr. Tantlinger threatened to release the documents -- which the hospital claims include confidential patient information, internal memos and "trade secrets" -- unless UPMC settled his wrongful termination suit. Mr. Tantlinger, who worked at the Presbyterian and Montefiore campuses, was fired in October.
Ms. Diggs' son, Roderick, subpoenaed the documents from Mr. Tantlinger's attorney because some of them might pertain to his wrongful death lawsuit against UPMC. The hospital is attempting to block that subpoena, saying the documents were obtained illegally.
District Attorney's office spokesman Mike Manko confirmed this morning that investigators will be executing a search warrant for documents that are the subject of a civil suit, but he said the warrant will be under seal.
Odd indeed.
-- SS