NH hospital asks for help on sharing hep C records

EXETER, N.H. (AP) -- Exeter Hospital is seeking guidance from a New Hampshire court on whether it must comply with an order to turn over patient records to the state health department following a hepatitis C outbreak at the hospital.

Exeter released a statement Wednesday saying the state Division of Public Health Services has requested "broad access" to its medical record systems. The hospital said it feels the request "extends beyond what we believe we are allowed to provide in accordance with patient privacy laws."

Associate Attorney General Anne Edwards said the state is seeking the records as a result of expanded testing.

Former hospital worker David Kwiatkowski was arrested in July and charged with tampering with needles and infecting at least 31 people with the potentially life-threatening virus.