Confidentiality Flashcards
What is confidentiality in a clinical laboratory?
A fundamental ethical and legal responsibility to protect patient information and test results from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse.
Why is maintaining confidentiality critical in a clinical laboratory?
For patient trust, compliance with regulations, and ethical laboratory practice.
What type of information must laboratory professionals protect?
Personal details such as name, date of birth, and medical records.
Who should have access to patient information in a clinical laboratory?
Only authorized personnel.
Who should test results be shared with?
Only with authorized healthcare professionals directly involved in the patient’s care.
What measures should be taken to secure electronic and paper records?
They must be stored securely to prevent breaches.
What is regulatory compliance in laboratories?
Laboratories must follow laws such as GDPR, HIPAA, and national and institutional policies on patient data privacy.
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation, and HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
What does GDPR stand for?
General Data Protection Regulation.
GDPR is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy.
What does HIPAA stand for?
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
HIPAA is a U.S. law designed to provide privacy standards to protect patients’ medical records and other health information.
What is required for proper use of Laboratory Information Systems (LIS)?
Access to LIS should be password-protected and restricted to authorized users.
This ensures that only those with appropriate permissions can access sensitive information.
What should audit trails in LIS track?
Audit trails should track who accessed, modified, or shared patient data.
This helps maintain accountability and security in handling patient information.
What rights do patients have regarding their data?
Patients have the right to know who has access to their results and how their data is used.
This promotes transparency and trust in the healthcare system.
What is required before sharing patient information for research purposes?
Informed consent is required before sharing information for research or external purposes.
Informed consent ensures that patients are aware of and agree to the use of their data.
What measures should laboratories implement to prevent data breaches?
Laboratories should implement encryption, firewalls, and cybersecurity measures to protect digital records.
These measures are essential for safeguarding sensitive patient information from unauthorized access.
What kind of training must staff undergo to ensure data confidentiality?
Staff must undergo regular training on confidentiality policies.
Ongoing training helps reinforce the importance of data protection and compliance with regulations.
