Medical privacy and its value for patients.
OBJECTIVE
To review privacy issues of medical information and current legal guidelines.


METHODS
Government regulations and reports.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients must have trust and confidence that the health care system will safeguard their health information and that it will not be used to discriminate against them through insurance or employment.


CONCLUSIONS
Health care professionals must be sensitive to the privacy needs of patients during the collection and storage of data, the access to information, and the sharing of patient information.
Meier
Eileen
E
Progressive Policy Strategies, 1090 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005, USA.
D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D009859:Oncology Nursing