For example, if you’re a healthcare professional, don’t leave a patient’s medical records unattended on a cafeteria table or in a reception area.
When you leave a secure room, make sure drawers, cabinets, and doors are locked. To avoid accidental breaches, get in the habit of double checking every handle before you walk away from a storage unit or door.
When you have to confer with a colleague about a patient or client, discuss only the necessary details. Depending on your location and industry, you might be legally required to withhold or change any identifying information. If a client or patient calls you, head to a private location to talk. Unless it’s an emergency, avoid discussing confidential over the phone. Discuss scheduling issues over the phone, for example, but save sensitive information for a face-to-face conversation. [4] X Research source
If you’re an employee, make sure you understand terms such as using your company’s intellectual property within certain bounds or not discussing operations with family and friends. Report to your manager if you need to access to confidential documents, if necessary. If you operate a business, you’ll want to secure any confidential information you need to exchange during transactions, negotiations, and other occasions. For instance, if you’re presenting an invention to a potential investor, it’s wise to have your lawyer draft a non-disclosure agreement to ensure your intellectual property won’t be used without your consent.
While ethical and legal obligations can get complicated, not knowing them won’t be an excuse if you accidentally breach them. Your employer or professional organization should provide resources on ethical and legal compliance. If you’re not sure about a situation that could lead to a potential ethical or legal pitfall, don’t do anything without doing your homework. Consult your profession’s code of ethics, look up applicable local or federal laws, get advice from a trusted colleague (without disclosing private information), or contact your professional organization.
Ask them if they have any questions about how information such as medical or legal records are stored and used. Additionally, inform them of the limitations of their right to privacy. For instance, if you’re a therapist, inform your patient that you’re obligated to report if they threaten to harm themselves or others.
Suppose you’re a psychologist in New Hampshire and you’ve received a subpoena requesting information about a patient. New Hampshire (NH) state law and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) both govern how providers handle patient records, but vary when it comes to disclosing patient records to legal authorities. Since NH law requires a court order or patient consent, rather than a subpoena alone, it offers stricter protection than HIPAA. In this case, you’d be breaking the law if you complied with the subpoena.
For instance, suppose you’re a doctor or counselor running a private practice. Research all associates you hire or services you retain, including billing specialists, medical staff, insurers, labs, and internet service providers. If someone on staff or a service you use mishandles confidential information, your practice could lose its reputation and suffer legal consequences. Title 13 in the United States Code mandates that all of the data collected by the Census Bureau is confidential. [10] X Research source There are all kinds of legal restrictions, so it cannot share the data. [11] X Research source But there are no restrictions for Facebook and Google. They can share their data. [12] X Research source
Additionally, patient or client records might be requested by subpoena, court order, or warrant. If necessary, disclose only the information specified in the legal demand. For instance, if a court order requests information about a specific injury, don’t disclose records about an illness they had as a child. Keep in mind that attorney-client privilege takes precedence over legal demands, such as a discovery request or ordering a lawyer to testify under oath. [14] X Research source
Additionally, make sure you and anyone you work with use the internet safely. For instance, don’t click on suspicious links or open email attachments from unknown senders.
For example, if you own a small restaurant, don’t leave your laptop open on the bar with your financial information visible. If you’re a doctor, make sure patients can’t see screens that display personal information from the waiting area or reception desk. It’s also wise to use privacy screen savers and password-protected lock screens.
Additionally, review your industry’s code of ethics and local laws to make sure you’re allowed to send a given confidential document.
If you’re a member of a professional organization, they might partner with a company that specializes in secure communications for your industry. You might be able to hire that company at a discounted rate.
If you’re a member of a professional organization, they might partner with a company that specializes in secure communications for your industry. You might be able to hire that company at a discounted rate.
