Patient Privacy & Confidentiality in Healthcare: Obligations & Differences, Study notes of Nursing

Download Patient Privacy & Confidentiality in Healthcare: Obligations & Differences and more Study notes Nursing in PDF only on Docsity! CTO EC LA a Schulich Hei 6tel Re Grace Mey ealthcare __ © HOSPITAL MEDICINE & DENTISTRY Privacy vs. Confidentiality? • Confidentiality is the moral, ethical, legal, professional and employment obligation to protect the information entrusted to us • Includes anything you learn about the patient during his/her hospital visit, including information on the patient’s hospital chart, any information shared verbally, and any electronic information • Privacy is the right of an individual to determine when, how and to what extent they share information about themselves with others • It is the patient’s right to control the collection, use and disclosure of information What is Confidential? WRH considers the following types of information to be confidential: • Personal information and PHI regarding patients and their families; • Personal information, PHI, employment information, and compensation information regarding staff and hospital affiliates; and • Information regarding the organization’s operations, which are not publicly disclosed (e.g. unpublished financial statements, legal matters, quality of care) • This applies whether this information is verbal, written, electronic or in any other format Breaching Privacy & Confidentiality • A breach occurs when a patient’s private information is disclosed with a third party without his/her consent. This includes sharing information with other clerks who are not part of the team caring for the patient • A proven breach in privacy will be subject to discipline and possible termination of placement • Your career is at risk • Potential civil action or criminal prosecution • Your professional college will be notified • Institutional and personal fines Examples of Privacy Breaches • Misdirected faxes • Improper destruction of PHI • Cell phones used to take pictures in the hospital • Staff member / clerk discussing the patient, outside of patient care • Sharing personal health information on social networks e.g. Facebook • Unauthorized access – you must NOT look at a patients’ records if you are NOT providing care