2. Patient Confidentiality
• The legal term for confidentiality is to some thing that is done
or communicated in confidence
• Patient confidentiality is that a physician may not disclose
any medical information that is revealed by a patient or
discovered by a physician in connection with the treatment of
a patient
3. UCLA Hospital
The issue
• More than 120 workers at UCLA hospital looked at celebrity
medical records and other personal information without
authority.
• After this was discovered 127 employees were fired and
suspended
• From 2003 to 2007 , one employee looked at 900 patients
records for no particular reason, viewing Social Security
numbers and health insurance information
4. UCLA Hospital
The Issue continued
• Employee LaWanda Jackson viewed 60 patient records and
faces federal criminal charges for violating privacy of a
celebrity patient
• Jackson was able to use her supervisor’s password to view
records
• In order to prevent this from happening, the hospitals later
updated computer systems and blocked the complete
numbers of Social Security numbers, staff was also being
trained on privacy and security
5. Ways to enforce Patient
Confidentiality
HIPAA
• Known as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
of 1996
• HIPAA able to provide federal protections for personal health
information for patients
• It addresses the security and privacy of health data
• HIPAA is meant to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of
the nation’s health care system
6. Training Techniques
Provide HIPAA Training
• Make sure employees are in appropriate HIPAA practices
• During training employees will learn which patient
information is protected private health information and how
to protect it at the individual, organizational and affiliate
levels
• Conduct training in group training sessions or using individual
online courses
7. Training Techniques
Use Confidentiality Agreements
• All employees who deal with any type of health information
should sign confidentiality agreements
• Anyone who comes in contact with private patient
information should sign and agree not to share or disclose
information
• Anyone who decides to share information should career and
legal consequences
8. Other Suggestions
• Employees should make sure to not allow others to use
passwords
• Passwords should be changed every 3 to 6 months to avoid
privacy issues
• Automatic termination should take place if employees fail to
follow guidelines in keeping patient information private
9. References
• Groepl, J. (2011). Ways to Upkeep Patient Confidentiality. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/info_8173783_ways-upkeep-patient-confidentiality.htm
• Health Information Privacy. U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/.
• Over 120 UCLA Hospital Staff Saw Celebrity Health Records. Retrieved
July 20, 2010 from
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,398784,00.html.
