Privacy and Confidentiality of Client Health Information Research Paper - 1

Privacy and Confidentiality of Client Health Information - Research Paper Example Medical practitioners, be they nurses, doctors or health information managers are obligated both legally and ethically to safeguard a client’s health information from any undue influence or unauthorized parties as stated by Acker et al. (2007). The primary means through which boundaries are maintained, a trust created and client-caregiver relationship built is by considering the rights bestowed on the client and respecting them. This client right to privacy stipulates that they should control how their health information is collected, utilized and revealed. It is important to note that even health organizations have limited rights to client’s information more so regarding how it should be disclosed. This lays huge task on health information managers to ensure that such right is not misused. The most common case when this right is utilized is when the medical team shares health information in order to facilitate delivery of health care to the patient. A typical scenario is where a doctor explains the patient’s actual condition and the reason for certain medication to nurses attending to a particular patient (Sanbar, 2007). Such sharing cannot be deemed to be breaching the client’s right to control disclosure as nurses need to be informed so as to efficiently and effectively deliver health care. The following is the specific information that one needs to know in regards to client information, its confidentiality, access, disclosure and special considerations. Conversations form the easiest way by which client’s health information is disseminated. As such it is an easy means through which the same leaks to unauthorized parties. It is therefore paramount for anybody to be aware of their environment before initializing conversations regarding confidential information about a client. This will definitely avoid people from overhearing such information. Contrary to popular belief, withholding just the name is insufficient to uphold confidentiality (Pozgar, 2008).