Sharing of information between members treating a patient or with the patients is a practice that is necessary for the delivery of healthcare to individuals. However, careful ethical consideration is necessary especially when disclosing health information of patients to a third party. The patient should know the type of people to who their health information if revealed to avoid legal cases. Some information may be embarrassing to the patient when disclosed to the relatives or friends and can lead to discrimination or seclusion of the individual. Any information that is considered private and confidential should never be disclosed to the third party unless that patient gives consent.

Patient information should not be shared without his knowledge, as there are various ethical complications associated with disclosing any health information. The information can be revealed for the best interest of the patient, is autonomy, and the public interest. If an individual has a contagious disease, the medics can reveal his health information for the public’s interest. Supporting the patients’ autonomy is important and it is possible to avoid ethical problems by giving patients enough information about information disclosure. Some information may be disclosed without the patient’s consent especially when it is to the best interest of the patient that the information be disclosed to the relatives. Confidentiality is important to the patients as it provides a secure environment conducive for them to seek medical care and be open with the details of their illnesses. Confidentiality also makes the public have trust on the health professionals and ensure that the respect for the patient’s autonomy is respected. People have the right to choose people who can access their health information although the medical practitioners can breach confidentiality when necessary.

Data breaches in hospitals and health centers are on the rise posing a challenge in protecting electronic patient health information. There are various steps for health care organizations to take to safeguard their patients’ information such as using secure transmissions by using a minimum of 128-bit encryption when transferring sensitive data. The medical professionals can also perform an annual risk assessment and address any security issues, especially with the current cloud computing. Beefing up physical security and having clear access control policies will help identify whether people are accessing health records without authorization. The other way to safeguard the information is by restricting areas where ePHI is stored and protect data stored on a network. Computing professionals must have ethical obligations that define their moral responsibilities at their workplace. The ethical computing statement of confidentiality would include the following:

As a stakeholder of this organization, I will…

Uphold and promote all the principles of this code

Treat the violations of this code as inconsistent with the laws governing confidentiality

Face the consequences associated with violation of the confidentiality code

Signature………………………. Name………………………………………………

Any person who needs to access any health record should first sign the confidentiality code as outlined. In case of violation of the code of conduct as outlined in the medical health code, the person should face the law and any consequences.