Tough break.
It sounds like either reading wasn’t your thing, or there was something about “you are hereby ordered to appear” that you missed on your first read through the document. A subpoena is a legal document and, as you just found out, ignoring legal documents is rarely a good idea.
HIPAA is a strong protection for patient privacy. However HIPAA explicitly allows health care providers to testify in response to a subpoena. (45 CFR 164.512.e.1(ii) in case you were wondering.)
Fortunately your time in custody is likely to be short – just long enough for the testimony you were supposed to give voluntarily. Good luck getting somebody to take your call for tonight.
Instead of spending a night in the slammer, why not make another choice?
Call the attorney who requested the subpoena and acknowledge receiving the subpoena.
Call the Center for Miracles for advice.
Call the university counsel for advice.
Photo Credit: Wmfawmfa