share confidential information with you has the expectation that he or she can control that information for his or her own welfare. Confidential information should be used to facilitate the goal of helping the patient and be kept from unauthorized people. It is not considered a breach of confidentiality if information is shared with other health professionals involved in the patient’s care, as long as the information has some relevance regarding that case. ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY IS GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL FROM THE DEPARTMENT. EXAMPLES OF BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY: Discussing a patient’s condition or treatment in a public setting; Naming a patient and the patient’s condition or treatment in a public setting; Speaking of a patient within hearing range of other patients; Reading a patient’s chart when not involved in that patient’s care or as a course assignment; Asking co-workers about the condition or treatment of a patient known to you; Reading correspondence or information relating to a patient or employee or discussing that information with others; Discussing information, which a supervisor indicates, is confidential. EXAMPLES OF POOR SENSITIVITY CONSIDERED A BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY Asking loudly in the waiting room (or other area) about a patient’s condition, treatment, lab work, test results, etc. Making light of patient’s condition or personal characteristics. Discussing personal matters of another student or supervisor within hearing range of patients or other students. HEALTH INFORMATION PRIVACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA) In 1996, Congress passes HIPAA mandating the adoption of Federal privacy protections for individually identified health information. In response to this mandate, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the Privacy Rule in the Federal Register of December 28, 2008. Final rules were issued in August 2002 making modifications to the Privacy Rule. Final Privacy Rules can be found at . These rules provide comprehensive federal protection for the privacy of health information. The Privacy Rule sets a federal floor safeguards to protect the confidentiality of information. The rule does not replace federal, state, or other law that provides individuals even greater privacy protections. Confidentiality is certainly a key element of HIPAA.
share confidential information with you has the expectation that he or she can control that information for his or her own welfare. Confidential information should be used to facilitate the goal of helping the patient and be kept from unauthorized people. It is not considered a breach of confidentiality if information is shared with other health professionals involved in the patient’s care, as long as the information has some relevance regarding that case. ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY IS GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL FROM THE DEPARTMENT. EXAMPLES OF BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY: Discussing a patient’s condition or treatment in a public setting; Naming a patient and the patient’s condition or treatment in a public setting; Speaking of a patient within hearing range of other patients; Reading a patient’s chart when not involved in that patient’s care or as a course assignment; Asking co-workers about the condition or treatment of a patient known to you; Reading correspondence or information relating to a patient or employee or discussing that information with others; Discussing information, which a supervisor indicates, is confidential. EXAMPLES OF POOR SENSITIVITY CONSIDERED A BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY Asking loudly in the waiting room (or other area) about a patient’s condition, treatment, lab work, test results, etc. Making light of patient’s condition or personal characteristics. Discussing personal matters of another student or supervisor within hearing range of patients or other students. HEALTH INFORMATION PRIVACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA) In 1996, Congress passes HIPAA mandating the adoption of Federal privacy protections for individually identified health information. In response to this mandate, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the Privacy Rule in the Federal Register of December 28, 2008. Final rules were issued in August 2002 making modifications to the Privacy Rule. Final Privacy Rules can be found at . These rules provide comprehensive federal protection for the privacy of health information. The Privacy Rule sets a federal floor safeguards to protect the confidentiality of information. The rule does not replace federal, state, or other law that provides individuals even greater privacy protections. Confidentiality is certainly a key element of HIPAA.