Confidentiality Of Medical Records Essay

Are your medical records really safe? More people than one would ever image has access to your personal medical record. Insurance companies, the government especially if you receive local, state or federal assistance. Employers and researchers can have access to your health records. If you are involved in a court case, your health records can be subpoenaed and available to the public. Does knowing that your health record is not totally private make you think twice about patient confidentiality?

Who is vulnerable? Employees are vulnerable to not having patient confidentiality there are laws controlling access to health records expose employees to the possibility of discrimination. The patient privacy rights.org website states that 35% of some major companies admitted to looking at employee’s health records before making hiring and promotion decisions (PPR). As employers seek to reduce health insurance costs, employers are more anxious to view employees’ and employee’s families’ health records. My belief is that Employment should be based on how well we can do a job not what’s in our health record. In today’s society, there is more testing on our children than in the past. Should

Patients often share personal information with their health care providers. If the confidentiality of patient information is not protected, trust in the physician-patient relationship would be gone. If the patient does not feel comfortable with their provider and not willing to disclose everything to them, leaving out that vital information could be detrimental to the patient. When health care providers ensure a trusting environment by respecting patient privacy this encourages the patient to continue care and to be as honest as possible during the course of their health care visits. For conditions that might be very private, confidentiality assures that private health information cannot be disclosed to family members or employers without their