Which action is NOT a threat to the confidentiality of a patient’s medical record?

Which action is NOT a threat to the confidentiality of a patient’s medical record?

• A. An office employee leaves pages in the fax machine tray
• B. A transcriptionist lets a friend read over his shoulder
• C. A physician shows a patient’s record to a consulting specialist
• D. Written records are left open on a coder’s desk during a coffee break

Answer: (B)

Protecting patient confidentiality relies on restricting access to those who need the information for care and handling records securely. Leaving pages in a fax machine tray is risky because anyone who retrieves the fax could see PHI, which is a confidentiality breach. A transcriptionist letting a friend read over his shoulder is an explicit unauthorized disclosure to someone not involved in the patient’s care. Written records left open on a coder’s desk during a coffee break also expose PHI to others nearby, another breach. Sharing a patient’s record with a consulting specialist is appropriate for the patient’s care and is allowed when done with proper privacy safeguards (minimal necessary information and authorization for treatment). So this action is not a threat to confidentiality in normal clinical practice.

Protecting patient confidentiality relies on restricting access to those who need the information for care and handling records securely. Leaving pages in a fax machine tray is risky because anyone who retrieves the fax could see PHI, which is a confidentiality breach. A transcriptionist letting a friend read over his shoulder is an explicit unauthorized disclosure to someone not involved in the patient’s care. Written records left open on a coder’s desk during a coffee break also expose PHI to others nearby, another breach. Sharing a patient’s record with a consulting specialist is appropriate for the patient’s care and is allowed when done with proper privacy safeguards (minimal necessary information and authorization for treatment). So this action is not a threat to confidentiality in normal clinical practice.