Travonne Hooks v. Dignity Health

I. BACKGROUND

Dignity Health is a health care provider that operates primary care clinics in twenty-two states. Dkt. 1-1 (Compl.) ¶ 22. One of the services that Dignity Health provides is “processing and fulfilling patient medical requests on behalf of an engaged hospital, physician or group practice.” Id. ¶ 6. On May 27, 2021, Hooks requested his personal health information (PHI) from Dignity Health pursuant to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), 45 C.F.R. § 164.524. Id. ¶¶ 7, 36. In response to the request, Dignity Health did not provide all requested information and some of the data provided was not in the requested native electronic Case 2:22-cv-07699-DSF-PD Document Filed 12/27/ Page 2 of Page ID #:306

form. Dignity Health charged Hooks $23.90 for this request. Id. ¶¶ 47-48, 50. Hooks repeated his request several months later and Dignity Health again provided information in the incorrect form. Id. ¶¶ 9, 51, 54. Dignity Health charged Hooks $21.95 for the second request. Id. ¶ 10. Hooks filed this class action lawsuit on September 20, 2022, in Los Angeles County Superior Court for Dignity Health’s…