Cooper 2012 M1 Patients Right to Know
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Cincinnati State Technical and Community College *
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2012
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Health Science
Date
Jun 13, 2024
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docx
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Uploaded by MagistrateGalaxy5384
Ahlexus Cooper Health Information Ethics
Patient’s Right to Know
Health information refers to data related to an individual's physical or mental health, medical history, treatment, and other health-related details. It can include a wide variety of information including diagnosis, medications, lab results, and personal health records. Health information is protected under medical law and ethics by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) which established national standards for safeguarding certain health
information. The privacy rule within HIPAA ensures that protected health information remains confidential. Health care providers, health plans, hospitals, and more must comply with all of HIPAA's standards such as use and disclosure of health data, individual rights, and security measures. Health information professionals have ethical obligations to protect privacy, to disclose data appropriately, and to maintain health information systems. When a health information specialist uses ethical principles, it emphasizes confidentiality, privacy, and ensures integrity of health information. There is controversy when it comes to patient rights versus the caregiver's privacy. In the scenario where a patient seeks information about a caregiver's AIDS status, I think the patient has a right to know due to it could affect their own health and well-being. Honesty is crucial so that the patient can make informed decisions about their care and be able to take necessary precautions in a disease that could be transmissible. The patient’s right to know should also be balanced with the caregiver's privacy. Caregivers should also have the right to privacy about their health and their AIDS status should not be disclosed without their permission. Providing a
balance between patient rights and caregiver confidentiality can be challenging but it must occur.
Some states require the duty for health care providers to inform patients if there's a significant risk of exposure to HIV, have partner notification laws, have good faith efforts to tell your partner before marriage, and the health department all play a critical role in this information. In summary, it's essential for patient autonomy as well as caregiver privacy to be protected. Legal and ethical guidelines should be followed when balancing health information disclosure and confidentiality.
References
(OCR), O. for C. R. (2022, October 19). Summary of the HIPAA privacy rule
. HHS.gov
. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/laws-regulations/index.html
Limits on confidentiality and HIV disclosure laws
. HIV.gov
. (2017, May 15). https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/living-well-with-hiv/your-legal-rights/limits-on-confidentiality
Ronv. (2024, January 7). Legal and ethical issues in Healthcare Informatics
. USF Health Online.
https://www.usfhealthonline.com/resources/health-informatics/legal-and-ethical-issues-in-health-
informatics/
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