"Every person I talked to gave me the same answer: Federal privacy laws forbid them from disclosing the names of patients."
That was my first clue. Several people claim to have talked to his doctors and confirmed or denied it yet nobody questioned the privacy laws.
I just had a doctor's visit yesterday and signed a "Privacy" notice. It basically stated no one in that office, especially the doctor, will release "any" information about me to anyone.
Good point...especially when everyone thinks your med records are already private.