Ethical Considerations of Health Information - Essay Example

? Ethical Considerations of Health Information Ethical Considerations of Health Information Introduction Medical practice predisposes healthcare professionals to handling confidential information of their clients. A client and a medical practitioner at one point must share certain confidential information concerning the patient. This factor seems to suggest that in absence of ethical code that dictates information dissemination between the medical professionals and the public, patients confidential information is likely to reach the ears of the public. The need to protect civil liberty of the patient does not only stem from the provisions of the human freedom, but also from the morals of practice. Naturally, human beings are secretive and tend to limit the extent to which certain information concerning their social and health status should reach the public ear. Societal response to healthcare services often depends on the extent to which the health care service would infringe their civil liberty. This research examines possibility of privacy violation among the medical professionals as well as the effects of such violations to the patients. Problem Statement Handling of patients’ information is critical concern in the medical practice because it affects the liberty of the patient in one side and on the other side, it dictate the ability of the healthcare profession to discharge his duty. The consequent of the above phenomena is the need to create ethical codes that define the manner in which healthcare professionals should handle the patients’ information. In practice, medical officer often request clients to volunteer information concerning their health or person problems. This data is instrumental in discharging the right service to the patient as well as designing of an intervention mechanism to a disease outbreak in the society (Harman, 2001). Nevertheless, protection of the patient liberty is critical in ensuring effective service delivery. In this sense, handling of the patient’s information within the stipulated codes necessary, but the code should not bar the medical professional from protecting life. Summary of Research Sources Some critics have demonstrated concerns about the use of social network among medical professionals (Thompson et al., 2011). The fact that the medical professionals use social network aggravate the danger of violation of patient’s privacy. Recent studies indicate that medical institutions have established that some unprofessional medical students post medical information in the social network thereby breaching the patient’s privacy rights. Various laws defining medical practice tend to outlaw activities or engagements between the medical professional and the public that would lead to breach of patient’s privacy. The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act define the extent to which the medical professional can share confidential information of the patients. The relationship between medical professionals and the patients is not only instrumental in defining the nature of the service delivered to the patients, but also affects the societal perception to the medical practice. Some critics show that patients are unwilling to visit healthcare facilities if their personal information were to reach the public ear (Neurodiagn, 2012). Arguably, this finding does not only affect the patient, but also the societal values establishing the medical practice. Some studies have sought to establish the influence of trust in medical practice (Thompson et al., 2011). Such studies shows that trust between the medical practitioner and the client dictate the nature of response that the patient would give to the medical officer. Information dissemination is a critical component of the medical practice. The medical practitioners rely on the information given to them by the patients. It follows that, lack of trust or breach of trust between the parties involves elicit poor service delivery. The handling of patient’s information should protect his or her privacy (Harman, 2001). Releasing the patient’s information to third party as well as exposing the patient’s identity does not only invade the patient’s privacy but also confidentially. The healthcare institutions must strive to protect the information of the patient’s from unauthorized hands. Moreover, limiting access to the information databank is way of limiting violation of patient’s liberty. Some studies show that legal aspects of protecting patients in the digital age are complex (Neurodiagn, 2012). Various countries have regulations defining the use of digital technology. As a result, some medical professionals that breach the ethics of practice may post medical information in the social medial and escape the law. Further, such studies cite lack of legal precedence in adjudication of contents posted in the social cites. The ethical conflict that stems from this attitude is the blatant violation of the patient’s right as well as the possibility of facing legal charges. Healthcare institutions and providers must observe the right to self-determination. According to this code, the patient reserves the right to choose who should and who should not access his or her medical data. It follows that breaching the autonomy of the patients may attract a legal feud between the patient and the healthcare facility. While it is the moral duty of the healthcare giver to keep the confidential information of the patient, the law has a provision that can enable it to sue the healthcare facility for infringing his civil liberty. Moreover, the code of medical practice dictates that healthcare professionals should not expose the health records of the patient to unauthorized person (Westerholm, 2011). In some situations that may force the health professional to expose the patient’s data, he or she should seek the consent of the patients before disseminating such data. In other instances, it might force the healthcare professional to explain the need to disseminate the information to the next party. This approach is instrumental in limiting conflict between the patient and the healthcare institution or professional. To a given extent, provision of healthcare services is a business where the medical institution is the seller whereas the patient is the client. Critics argue that healthcare institutions should protect the confidentiality of their clients. Further, the healthcare laws have provisions, which predispose the healthcare institutions to take the liability of their staffs. Arguably, such laws are likely to impact on the survival of the healthcare institution if it breaches the law. The duty to protect clients’ information is crucial to institutions because it dictates their survival in the industry. The non-malfeasance and beneficence principle dictates that the healthcare workers should do well and limit human suffering (Harman, 2001). Thus, the healthcare intervention should not expose any patient to suffering which may arise from stigmatization. Thus, the need to protect the information of the patient is crucial in protecting from stigmatization. Largely, in some cases, exposing the patient information may lead to stigmatization. Nevertheless, healthcare professionals reserve the right to choose to share the patient’s information if the patient is at risk. A careful consideration of this case is essential in defining the extent of information that a third party should access. The healthcare institution should treat the entire patient’s information as sensitive. This approach limits instances of leakage of the patient’s information. Importantly, while the healthcare professionals strive to offer services to the patients, this does not deprive the patient of his civil liberty (Westerholm, 2011). Moreover, limiting conflict between the patient and the healthcare professional is critical in realization of healthcare objectives. Some scholars have investigated the effects of the modern information technology in the medical practice. Such studies shows that information technology have enhanced storage of data, retrieval of patients data, as well as improving decision making process, but comes with a number of challenges as well. Layman (2008) observes that information technology is not the problem, but results from complex interaction of information technology with other determinants of healthcare systems. This observation suggests that information technology is primary component when making ethical considerations about information management. Neurodiagn (2012) asserts that studies bordering healthcare policies on information management tend to suggest that stakeholders in the healthcare sector should develop policies that align with the present technological advancement. Largely, as the information technology advances, ethical concerns about patient information management and healthcare policies should change in order to accommodate the use of such technologies. The WMA declaration o ethical considerations cite confidentiality as critical component of maintaining the integrity of the patient as well as trust in the patient physical relationship (Layman, 2008). Largely, the fact that the patient is at peace with his conscience over the sharing of information, enables the patient to share confidential information with the physician. Further, the principles stipulated by the WMA do not only apply in the healthcare setting, but also medical schools. The protection of life, health, dignity of the patient, and privacy has been a central factor in various international meetings concerning medical practice. Largely, the obligation tends to lie with the medical professional as opposed to the healthcare institution. Ethical concerns also find application during medical research. The provisions of medical practice dictate that the physician should inform the patient about his or her intention to use the patient’s information or medical data for research. Arguably, informing the patient about the impending research absolves the researcher from encountering ethical conflicts with the patient. Violation of the ethical practice might amount to legal battles as well as other disciplinary measures provided by the medical practice boards (Thompson et al., 2011). The requirements of the physician’s code of practice seem to address the concerns about personal privacy. Further, it stipulates penalty that the physician may attract when he breaches the law. In study conducted by multidisciplinary team from University of Florida in 2007 and 2009 sought to investigate the use of social media specifically Facebook among medical students. The study evaluated the content of the social media profile for resident students and medical students. The result of the study indicated that 49.8% or n=1023 out of 2053 had profiles in Facebook (Thompson et al., 2011). The study identified 12 instances of patients’ privacy violation, in which students posted the care they provided to the patients. The researchers concluded that medical student were likely to violate patient’s confidentiality. This finding is relevant in developing approaches of handling medical students. Even though medical students have not taken the oath of practice, they tend to access confidential information of the patients. Thus, by structuring the ethical concerns of patient’s information management, healthcare institutions and practitioners would limit ethical problems that arise due to negligence. According to Neurodiagn (2012), acts of benevolence should not be available to the public domain outside doctor patient relationship. The medical trainees should access ethical information as well as develop the need to apply such practices. Further, protecting the patient’s civil liberty extends to the photographs taken about the patient’s conditions. Sharing of the patient’s information in the public domain seems to rekindle patient’s memory about the ailments as well as promoting the feeling of victimization. Largely, patients who develop the view that the information they volunteer to the physicians would act against them, might not be at peace to relate well with the healthcare officials. In conclusion, ethical consideration on healthcare information seems to influence patients-physician’s relationship. In medical practice, trust between the medical practitioner and the patient is useful in defining the kind of service a patient would receive. Trust and integrity of the medical officials as well as the healthcare institution tend to dictate the number of people that would be willing to seek and share personal information. Blatant breach of the patient’s confidentiality tends to propagate conflict with the code of practice. However, the emergence of the information technology has led to numerous benefits such as health information storage and retrieval as well as challenge of protecting such information from reaching the ears of the public. The protection of the patient’s integrity as well as his confidentiality is essential in creating positive relationship between the physician and the patients thereby leading to the delivery of the healthcare services to the society. References AHIMA Code of Ethics, 1957, 1977, 1988, and 1998, 2010. Harman, L.B. (2001). Ethical challenges in the management of health information. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen. Layman, E. J. (2008). Ethical issues and the electronic health record. Health Care Manag (Fredrick), 27 (2), 165-76. Westerholm, P. (2011). Ethical Issues: Information and Confidentiality. Ethical Issues. International Labor Organization. Thompson, A. L. et.al. (2011). Protected Health Information on Social Networking Sites: Ethical and Legal Considerations. J Med Internet Res., 13 (1), e8. Neurodiagn, J. (2012). Ethical considerations in internet use of electronic protected health information. J Med Internet Res., 52 (1), 34-41. Read More