Confidentiality of Patients Information

Confidentiality of patient’s information
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Abstract
In medical ethics, confidentiality is one of the important roles in medical practices. It entails the health workers and care providers to keep the patient’s private health information unless the patient gives authority to release the information that the patient has given out. Patients do share some personal health information with his doctor and other r health care providers that are in contact with him during the treatment period, if this information provided may be breached, the relationship between the patient and the physician may be in jeopardy. As a result of that, patients may lose trust and avoid sharing any further personal health information to his doctor. Confidentiality ensures that patient’s information is not disclosed to anyone without his knowledge (Serour, 2006). Take for instance patients who suffer stigmatizing condition like reproductive, psychiatric and sexual health requires the information to be handled by the physician with utmost respect never to disclose the information to anyone.
Confidentiality is defined as a combination of rules or a pledge that limits access of information to a certain level. Confidentiality helps in restrictions of information that is only limited to the physician and the patient. As a result of this, all details associated with the patient is placed on strict confidence for the use by the medical group and authorized health workers (Serour, 2006).

With confidentiality, it builds an environment where the trust is enhanced through respecting the patient’s privacy. This encourages the patient to seek care and to observe honesty while giving out information during the physician-patient interaction hence creating confidence while giving out information (Serour, 2006). When confidentiality is observed, the patient will be willing to seek more health care. Therefore, patients should rest assured that the information they give to physicians will be kept confidential unless there is a compelling circumstance to do so. Therefore, it calls for ethical practices and standard within the medical sector including amongst its health staffs in relation to the patients being attended to. All the recognized information was written or verbal, audio or visual is subjected to be kept confidential, it does cover the following areas: –
• The physician of the patient and the health centers attended and the duration
• Any picture, audio, video attached to the patient
• Any clinical information that has been recorded by the physician
Confidentiality discourages the physicians and health care providers from giving out any information to the public thus ensuring only authorized access to this information. During taking care of the patient in the hospital, the personal information on the patient is shared amongst the health workers who are to give care to him/her at different times of schedule due to the shift in working schedule (Serour, 2006). When the information is shared, it should remain confidential not to be disclosed to any other third party apart from the only authorized ones. According to health policies act stipulated by the government, it is important to protect the confidentiality of patients, whether it is electronic information, including procedures for computer authorization and security.
The professional duty of confidentiality covers what the patient may reveal and also opinions, remarks and conclusions the doctor gives the assessment. Confidentiality covers all medical records including pre-existing medical conditions, laboratory reports and also the communications made between patient and physician and other proficient working employees within the hospital.
The task of discretion goes on after the patient stops seeking medical attention from the doctor. The responsibility can even continue even his/her death. This means that when the patient dies, all the medical records are still confidential not to be disclosed by anyone.
Breaching of confidentiality of a patient occurs when the private details about the patient is disclosed to another party without his/her approval or permission (Serour, 2006). However, there are special circumstances under which breaching of the confidentiality becomes an exception such as disclosing of the patient’s information to the federal government or to state health officials and also court orders requiring the medical reports to be issued.
Confidentiality can be breached in a number of ways but in a normal setting, it shouldn’t be breached due to oaths that physicians take. To carry out a breach of confidentiality, confidential information must and should contain the following; –
• It is required to have the indispensable quality of confidence.
• Must be implemented in situation importing and duty of confidence.
• To be disclosed without the consent of the patient involved.
When it comes to the breaching of a patient’s confidentiality, the parties involved in such actions should get to know that the patients are being protected by the federal government. There is also an agency that monitors patient’s confidentiality; examples are the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (Serour, 2006). This organization approves health care facilities to attain the needed healthcare standards. The confidentiality and privacy of patients is an important aspect for these organizations. Through this, they get to evaluate thoroughly the policies that a health care hospital has put in place in order to protect the patients and also their confidentiality.
• However, there are big threats to medical privacy and it occurs mostly when hospital bills are not fully paid either by the patient or the health insurance company. The insurance also has the capability of looking into the patient’s details. Other situations in which your medical condition maybe be shared include; –
• Risk of harm or abuse to you and your family members
• In case there is a serious crime like assault which is to be investigated or where it could have prevented.
• Controlling infections such as tuberculosis, Ebola or measles and other contagious infective disease.
• Notification of a birth.
There are cases in which family members would like to get access to the records of the patient who happens to be a part of them: a son, father, mother, and spouse amongst others. In this case, the physician may feel naturally obligated to share the information with them. On the other hand, the requirement for making an exception to confidentiality may not be met. The only case under which a family member is allowed to access the patient’s medical records, it’s when the other family members are at risk of getting the same diagnosis like HIV/AID amongst other diseases (Serour, 2006).
Patient’s confidentiality is a very core issue within the healthcare unit. Patients do place their trust in the hands of the healthcare practitioners like the doctors and other healthcare staffs. It is therefore their mandate and obligation to maintain the confidentiality of these patients. It ensures that quality and efficient care is given to patients and also patients can depend on them; the associated health care professionals should prevent disclosing their patient’s records to anyone apart from them (Serour, 2006).
There are also some challenges that are involved in maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of patients. An example is; –
Technology-this may not be a secure form. Since someone may get access to them, take for instance emails and phone contacts. Therefore, physicians should be smart and very sensitive when communicating to their patients. Occasionally, electronic messages may at times go to the wrong recipient.
The growth of health care is attributed to the continued growth in technology. This can be vividly explained through technology which has provided solutions to health-cares. Interoperability between health systems, this is a technology oriented system that provides interoperability solution enable an exchange of patient information and health organizations that help in shaping future health-care organization comes 2017. In 2017 the federal government is projecting to introduce Robotic Nurse Assistant. Research show that during daily operations nurses get injured as they carry out their tasks, this happens very often. There are many types of robots used RIBA (Robot for interactive Body Assistance), this hardware was developed by Riken to assist in HAL (hybrid Assistance Limb). RIBA will be the first robot that will be used in 2017 to take the roles of a human nurse, therefore it can be seen that technology will greatly improve the health sector in the coming years.
In conclusion, maintaining the confidentiality of a patient is very important. From this article, it can be concluded that patient interaction is one of the guiding steps for a doctor to know his/her patients but when this private information is leaked or disclosed to a third party, patients won’t have the confidence of taking out and sharing their own health conditions. A good relationship needs to be established. However, there are situations in which the confidentiality has to be breached without the consent of the patient but this is covered under the law of a country. Ironically, even the spouse is not allowed to access the personal information from the doctor. In acute cases, it can be allowed in order to save the patient or save other family member from getting such diagnosis. Patients should, therefore, get to know that the information they provide is safe with the doctor. Information such as names, address, contacts details and other details should be kept in utmost secrecy. This will always make sure that most patients face no risk of personal depression from themselves or abuse from other family members. Factors such as breach of information which may be caused by technological failures or unethical medical personnel should always be talked with the utmost professionalism.
References
Serour, G. (2006). Confidentiality, privacy and security of patients’ health care information.
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 93(2), 184-186. doi:
10.1016/j.ijgo.2006.03.011