Question

How does a professional association's ethical code obligate the clinical and advocacy practices of a health professional?

Answer 1

Ethical obligations are central to the professional's responsibility, regardless of the employment site or the method of collection, storage, and security of health information. In addition, sensitive information (e.g., genetic, adoption, drug, alcohol, sexual, health, and behavioral information) requires special attention to prevent misuse. In the world of business and interactions with consumers, expertise in the protection of the information is required.

Healthcare quality professionals are defined by a standard of conduct deep-rooted in commitment, confidentiality, and relationships. Committed to performance improvement and maintaining integrity, the healthcare quality professional recognizes personal accountability and moral obligation to all customers served—clients, employees, employers, members of the healthcare team, physicians, organizations, and the public.

Healthcare quality professionals' primary commitment is to the health, well-being, and safety of patients. They must take appropriate actions which are consistent with organization policy regarding any instances of incompetent, unethical, illegal, or impaired practice.

A health information management professional shall:

1. Safeguard all confidential patient information to include, but not limited to, personal, health, financial, genetic, and outcome information.

2. Engage in social and political action that supports the protection of privacy and confidentiality, and be aware of the impact of the political arena on the health information issues for the healthcare industry.

3. Advocate for changes in policy and legislation to ensure protection of privacy and confidentiality, compliance, and other issues that surface as advocacy issues and facilitate informed participation by the public on these issues.

4. Protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of professional service. Disclose only information that is directly relevant or necessary to achieve the purpose of disclosure. Release information only with valid authorization from a patient or a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of a patient or as authorized by federal or state regulations. The minimum necessary standard is essential when releasing health information for disclosure activities.

5. Promote the obligation to respect privacy by respecting confidential information shared among colleagues, while responding to requests from the legal profession, the media, or other non-healthcare related individuals, during presentations or teaching and in situations that could cause harm to persons.

6. Respond promptly and appropriately to patient requests to exercise their privacy rights (e.g., access, amendments, restriction, confidential communication, etc.). Answer truthfully all patients’ questions concerning their rights to review and annotate their personal biomedical data and seek to facilitate patients’ legitimate right to exercise those rights.

Professional responsibilities often require an individual to move beyond personal values. For example, an individual might demonstrate behaviors that are based on the values of honesty, providing service to others, or demonstrating loyalty. In addition to these, professional values might require promoting confidentiality, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration, and refusing to participate or conceal unethical practices. Professional values could require a more comprehensive set of values than what an individual needs to be an ethical agent in one’s own personal life.