As former NBA star and reality TV personality Lamar Odom continues to recover after being found unconscious in a Nevada brothel, employees at a hospital where he received treatment have been fired for trying to take pictures of him, according to media reports.
Some of the fired employees also attempted to access Odom’s medical records, TMZ reported Monday.
A spokeswoman for Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in Las Vegas would not confirm the firings, saying that the hospital protects the privacy of its patients and employees alike.
“As a healthcare facility, Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center is committed to caring for all of our patients. We take all patient privacy very seriously and follow all HIPAA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] policies in compliance with federal regulations,” the hospital told TheWrap. “We have a stringent social media policy that helps us adhere to HIPAA compliance,” the statement reads. “We also protect the privacy of our employees and do not release information regarding our actions. Additionally, we educate our employees on our code of conduct, which addresses social media guidelines.”
Odom was found unconscious on Oct. 13 at the Love Ranch brothel in Crystal, Nevada, after booking a $75,000, five-day stay including around-the-clock companionship with two women. He was initially rushed to a nearby hospital in Pahrump, Nevada, before being transferred to Sunrise.
The former NBA star has since been moved to Los Angeles for further treatment. Odom’s family has said that he has made “miraculous progress.”
According to 911 calls from brothel employees that were made public after Odom collapsed, the former Los Angeles Laker had admitted to taking cocaine prior to arriving at the brothel on Oct. 10, and had ingested “up to 10” herbal sexual enhancement supplements during his stay.
However, court papers obtained by TheWrap last week indicated that Odom may have ingested cocaine during his stay, and had taken an “unidentified pill” during his stay.