You are making the mistake I have repeatedly pointed out with regards to HIPAA. The individual can make anything public he wants, but the state is still obliged to protect the information, (as is a hospital.) And your (or my) version of “public interest” is not taken into account. It is the legal version or that specified in the statutes.
Examples for HIPAA might be releasing information to close contacts of someone with a highly communicable disease, for instance. “The public wants to know,” doesn’t count, or they’d have to release every detail of Lindsay Lohan’s hospitalization.
We aren't talking about HIPAA, but the UIPA, which specifically protects HI state agencies for releasing information for which there is a significant public interest. You're making excuses when there is no need to make an excuse.