HIPAA:
Every health care consumer is guaranteed privacy and confidentiality by HIPAA, the Health Information Portability & Accountability Act of 1996. This Act protects your personal information by holding EVERYONE in the health care arena legally responsible for maintaining your confidentiality. (HIPAA: https://www.hhs.gov).
Each member of your health care team is required by legal law and moral responsibility to keep your health care information completely confidential and private. They maintain this confidentiality by:
- Not discussing patient issues with other patients, clients or staff members. Not sharing patient health care information with others without the patient’s consent (including family members and friends).
- Keeping all information about a patient/client private and not revealing it to someone not directly involved in the care Sharing patient/client information in private and secluded areas. Protecting patients/clients medical records from all unauthorized reading Locking care-based computers when not in use.
- Disposing or filing of patient-centered faxes as soon as they are received. Never leaving private health care information on answering machines nor sending such faxes to public fax machines without patient/client consent.
Right to Privacy:
As a patient, you have the right to every consideration of your privacy concerning your own medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination, and treatment are considered confidential and shall be conducted discreetly. You have the right to have all records pertaining to your medical care treated as confidential except as otherwise provided by law or third party contractual arrangements.
You have the right to personal privacy. Privacy includes a right to respect, dignity, and comfort as well as privacy during personal hygiene activities (e.g. toileting, bathing, dressing), during medical/nursing treatments, and when requested as appropriate. It also includes limiting release or disclosure of your information such as your presence in facility, location in hospital, or personal information.