The blog that I read had in depth examples of patient confidentiality breaches that resulted in many healthcare workers being terminated from employment. There were several examples of patient information being disclosed on Facebook. The healthcare workers felt that it was okay to discuss patient information as long as they did not disclose the patient's names. Of course, this was the wrong understanding and a very costly one. It was also disclosed that there were pictures of a dying patient that was sold for money. Technology is great when it is used in a responsible manner. It is truly scary that your healthcare conditions are subject to the world to view if they fall into the wrong hands.
Another portion of the blog talked about the improper disposal of healthcare records. There were some patient records discovered at a dumpster site. Well, a photographer was disposing of his garbage and discovered this data. This is truly scary to think that consumers depend on healthcare professionals to abide by confidentiality guidelines to ensure their privacy on healthcare matters. A person's reputation & career are among the few things that could be affected by such negligence. I hope the exposure of these instances will cause all healthcare organizations to monitor their staff and contractors to ensure their patient's healthcare records are handled and disposed of professionally and properly.
LaWanda
