Confidentiality in healthcare involves keeping patient information private without their consent for disclosure. Maintaining confidentiality is important to build trust in the physician-patient relationship and encourage patients to seek care. Personal information like names, addresses, diagnoses and social security numbers should be kept private. HIPAA provides federal laws protecting the confidentiality and security of patient healthcare information. Healthcare workers should only discuss patients in private settings and properly dispose of documents with identifying patient information to uphold patient confidentiality.

1. Confidentiality
Sierra Swain
MHA 690- Health Care Capstone
January 8th 2015

2. Confidentiality
Confidentiality can be defined as the
ethical principle or legal right that a
physician or other health professional will
hold secret all information relating to a
patient, unless the patient gives consent
permitting disclosure.

3. Why is Confidentially so important?
• Patients routinely share personal information with health care
providers. If the confidentiality of this information were not
protected, trust in the physician-patient relationship would be
hard to maintain.
Creating a trusting environment by respecting patient
privacy encourages the patient to seek care and may also
increase the patient’s willingness to seek care.

4. Thing that Should be Kept Confidential
• Name
• Address
• Social Security
Number
• Diagnosis or Sickness

5. HIPPA
HIPAA is the federal Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act of 1996. The primary goal
of the law is to make it easier for people to keep
health insurance, protect the confidentiality and
security of healthcare information and help the
healthcare industry control administrative costs.

6. Discuss resident and client information only in a
place that is away from other residents, families and
visitors.
Any item with a residents name or identifying
medical information should never be placed in general
trash receptacles. They should be shredded for
appropriate disposal of confidential information.
Do not keep a copy or make copies of resident
information
Never discuss patients in an elevator, in a
hallway, cafeteria, or any other public place within or
outside of the facility.
Maintaining Confidentiality

7. Conclusion
Patient confidentiality and privacy are a very important aspect within jobs in the
healthcare industry. Maintaining confidentiality will ensure quality care by
showing that your patients can count on you for maintaining privacy and respect
for their care and their medical records. Confidentiality issues are also a standard
of practice related to ethical and professional healthcare

8. Reference
Jackson, M. (2011, December 15). Keep it Confidential. Retrieved from
http://www.opc.org