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Singular Mind Professional Training’s FREE ETHICAL HOSPITAL STRATEGY ASSOCIATED WITH CONFIDENTIAL PATIENT INFORMATION. FREE
This is your FREE one-ceu training. You may read it online or you can highlight this training, quiz and the evaluation then do a print, and take you time doing the training. Then cut and paste the quiz and the evaluation to your email, complete them and e-mail them to ceu@singularmind.com. After we receive your quiz and evaluation, your FREE one-ceu ethic certification will be sent to you via e-mail.
Hospital’s and their employees are responsible for protecting the privacy and confidentiality of their patients. In some cases hospitals are located in small communities, where everyone know most everyone, presents them with a unique problem. It is understood that it is awkward to tell someone that you have known all your life that you are unable to give them information on a mutual friend who is being served in the hospital but, the patient’s right to privacy is paramount. Even passing along confidential patient information to an employee’s spouse is a cavernous ethical violation –which for licensed persons can result in the loss of that license and a loss of a job for any hospital employee betraying the patient’s trust.
In this training, we will outline some of the issues related to the confidentiality of hospital patients. But please note that If your licensing board’s confidentiality requirements are more restrictive than these presented here then the one outlined here do not supersede your licensing board’s confidentiality requirements, they should be used only to supplement your licensing board’s confidentiality requirements.
Definitions
1. Authorities: Fire Department, Law Enforcement, County Health Officer, State Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services, State Department Of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.
2. Family: Persons related to the patient.
3. Friends: Associates and acquaintances of the patient.
4. Media: Television, radio, newspaper, Internet news service.
5. Next-of-kin: The person who is subsequently related to the patient such as a spouse, children, or parents.
6. Peace officer custody: Maintaining legal control over the patient such as a jail inmate.
7. Peace officer mental health protective custody: Any patient transported to this hospital for a mental status evaluation, by a law enforcement officer, is within a Peace Officer Mental Health Protective Custody until the patient is admitted to the hospital, put under MHMR’s care, or discharged.
8. Relief agencies: Red Cross.
Situational Patient Confidentiality
It is imperative that all staff maintains the confidentiality of patient information. A confidentiality statement will most surely will be signed by all new employees when hired. When discussing a patient, clinical staff must ensure that the discussion is held in a private room. Discussions of patient information should never be conducted in a public area where other patients or staff members can overhear the conversation. The discussion must be professional and appropriate to medical or social service care. All patients should be assured that the information obtained is confidential and will only be shared with other staff on a “need to know” basis. Patients should be assured that no information would be released without a signed release of information form.
All records must be secured in the medical record room when they are not in use and away from patient access. If a follow-up is needed, the patient’s records should be reviewed to ensure that the patient wants to be contacted and what method of communication (verbal or written). This information should be documented on the patient information form. Lab results and other medical information should not be left on patient’s answering machines or with other family members, unless otherwise indicated by the patient.
All services should be provided in a private setting. This includes not only physical exams, but also eligibility screening. In the nurses station keep the chart rack turned, at all times, where the names can not be read by non-hospital personnel. Do not chart in any location where it can be read by non-hospital personnel.
One more consideration: many years ago every hospital had a sign out front that read “HOSPITAL ZONE QUIET PLEASE”. You work in a hospital zone where the patients need their rest… so quiet please. Another reason to control the volume of ones voice is to insure that you do not broadcast confidential patient information down the corridors of this hospital.
Condition and Location of Patients: What You May Release and to Whom
Inquiries Must Contain The Patient’s Name –Unless The Inquiry Comes From Clergy. Information about the condition and location of an inpatient, outpatient or emergency department patient may be released only if the inquiry specifically contains the patient’s name. No information is to be given if a request does not include a specific patient’s name. This embraces inquiries from the press as well.
Inquiries from the clergy are an exception. HIPAA privacy regulations expressly permit hospitals to release the patient’s name, location in the hospital, general condition and religion to clergy members, so long as the patient has not instructed the hospital not to release the information. Clergy do not need to ask for the individual by name. It is important to note that hospitals are not required to ask about patients’ religious affiliations and patients are not required to supply that information.
Information That Can Be Release
As long as the patient has not requested that information be withheld, staff may release the patient’s one-word condition and location (room number) without obtaining prior patient authorization.
Definitions Of Patient Conditions:
1. Undetermined. Patient awaiting physician and assessment.
2. Good. Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious and comfortable. Indicators are excellent.
3. Fair. Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious, but may be uncomfortable. Indicators are favorable.
4. Serious. Vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. Patient is acutely ill. Indicators are questionable.
5. Critical. Vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. Patient may be unconscious. Indicators are unfavorable.
The Term “Stable” Should Not Be Used As A Condition. Clinicians find the “critical but stable” term useful when discussing cases amongst themselves because it helps them differentiate patients who are expected to recover from those whose prognosis is worse. However, a critical condition means that at least some vital signs are unstable, so this is inherently contradictory. The term “stable” should not be used as a condition. Furthermore, this term should not be used in combination with other conditions, which by definition, often indicate a patient is unstable.
The death of a patient may be reported to the authorities by the hospital, as required by law. Typically, a report will be made after efforts have been made to notify the Next-Of-Kin. Information about the cause of death must come from the patient’s physician, and its release must be approved by a legal representative of the deceased. This means that this hospital CANNOT share information with Family, Friends, and/or the Media on the specifics about sudden, violent or accidental deaths, as well as deaths from natural causes, without the permission of the decedent’s next-of-kin or other legal representative.
Location. The patient’s location may be included in the hospital directory to facilitate visits by friends and family as well as delivery of flowers and gifts. However, and it should be made a matter of policy, the patient’s location should not routinely be given to media. The media should not contact patients directly. Instead, they should request an interview through the hospital administrator or other designated hospital representative, Your hospital may deny the media access to the patient if it is determined that the presence of photographers or reporters would aggravate the patient’s condition or interfere with patient care. A representative should accompany the media at all times while they are in the hospital. Hospitals may deny the media access to any area at their discretion.
Beyond the One-Word Condition: Media Access to Patients
The following activities require written authorization from the patient. Drafting a detailed statement (i.e., anything beyond the one-word condition) for approval by the patient or the patient’s legal representative, taking photographs of patients, or interviewing patients. In general, if the patient is a minor, permission for any of these activities must be obtained from a parent or legal guardian.
Condition and Location of Patients: When You Should Not Release Any Information