Liberty Nursing Center: Patient Records Leaked to BBB - OH
Liberty Nursing Center of Colerain mailed the confidential health information to the private organization on June 12, 2025, federal inspectors found during an August investigation. The resident, identified as Resident #82, had end-stage renal disease, type two diabetes, and congestive heart failure.
The administrator told inspectors he received a complaint from the Better Business Bureau about his facility in the mail. When he called the BBB, a representative told him the facility didn't have to respond to the complaint.
He responded anyway.
The administrator said he consulted his corporate office and received direction to reply to the BBB regarding the complaint from Resident #82's family. His June response included the resident's name, diagnoses, weights, prescribed medications, and additional confidential information, according to the inspection report.
Resident #82 lived at the facility for more than four years, from April 29, 2021, until discharge on May 14, 2025. Medical records showed the resident had moderately impaired cognition and required supervision with daily activities like bathing and dressing.
The Better Business Bureau is a private, nonprofit organization with no governmental authority. Unlike hospitals, insurance companies, or other healthcare entities that might legitimately need patient information for treatment or payment, the BBB has no legal basis to receive protected health information.
Federal privacy laws require nursing homes to safeguard residents' personal and medical records. The facility's own confidentiality policy, dated October 2017, stated it would protect the personal privacy of all resident records and limit access to authorized staff and business associates.
The administrator confirmed during his August 21 interview that he knew the response contained private health information about Resident #82. He sent it to the BBB via email.
Liberty Nursing Center houses 67 residents. Inspectors reviewed confidentiality practices for three residents and found violations affecting one patient.
The privacy breach occurred more than a month after Resident #82 had already been discharged from the facility. The resident's family had filed their complaint with the Better Business Bureau sometime before June 12, though the inspection report doesn't specify when the complaint was made or what issues it raised.
The facility's policy specifically required limiting access to resident records to "authorized staff and business associates." Business associates under federal law are entities that perform functions for covered healthcare providers and have legitimate reasons to access protected health information, such as billing companies or legal counsel. The Better Business Bureau doesn't qualify as a business associate.
The administrator's decision to share detailed medical information came despite being told by the BBB itself that no response was required. The private organization had no authority to compel the nursing home to provide resident information or take any enforcement action.
Federal inspectors classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to the resident. However, the breach exposed sensitive medical details about a cognitively impaired patient to an outside organization that had no legitimate need for the information.
The confidentiality violation was investigated as part of complaint OH00164348. State and federal regulators routinely investigate nursing homes based on complaints from residents, families, and other sources.
Liberty Nursing Center of Colerain operates at 8440 Livingston Road in Cincinnati. The facility must submit a plan of correction to address the privacy violation and prevent similar breaches in the future.
The case illustrates how nursing home administrators sometimes misunderstand their obligations to protect resident privacy. Even when facing complaints or criticism, facilities cannot legally share protected health information with unauthorized parties, regardless of their intent to defend their care or operations.
Resident #82's medical information remains in the hands of the Better Business Bureau, a private organization that was never authorized to receive it and has no role in healthcare oversight or regulation.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Liberty Nursing Center of Colerain Inc from 2025-08-27 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 21, 2026 · Our methodology
LIBERTY NURSING CENTER OF COLERAIN INC in CINCINNATI, OH was cited for violations during a health inspection on August 27, 2025.
The resident, identified as Resident #82, had end-stage renal disease, type two diabetes, and congestive heart failure.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.