Running Head: ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS PAPER

Administrative Ethics Paper HCS/335 Elizabeth A. Mundy March 7, 2013 Quiana Amos

Running Head: ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS PAPER

Ethics will always be a topic of discussion when it comes to Health Care. It is up to the health care professionals to make sure that ethics are of importance in the work place. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing has an article named Caring for Patients While Respecting Their Privacy: Renewing Commitment. The article consists of concerns with ethical and legal issues concerning the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act otherwise known as (HIPAA). Over the years this law has impacted the way healthcare workers conduct themselves with patients, their families, with one another in the healthcare industry. It is important to make sure confidentiality is at the forefront when taking care of our patients on a daily basis. In 2001, the American Nurses Association put into place the Code of Ethics for Nurses, which made it clear in its intent and meaning as it relates to the nurses primary role in promoting and advocating patients rights relating to privacy and confidentiality. It has always been a nurses duty to protect their patients confidentiality even before the HIPAA law was made. Honestly, with all the new technology, new demands in healthcare, and most recent developments in the world it has made it even harder for the right of a patients confidentiality to be kept. Working in the healthcare industry it is our duty as healthcare professionals to protect any medical information from being seen or heard by anyone who is not authorized. There may be occasions where we as healthcare workers become comfortable in our work environment, forget what is out on the counters, and may not protect the information as carefully as possible. So, a recommended solution for this issue would be to recap the privacy section of the Health Insurance Portability Act. A way to do so would be to refer to this section as a guide to better understand the importance of patient confidentiality. This article was written to improve the importance of keeping patients medical information secure and private by healthcare

Running Head: ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS PAPER professionals. This helps remind the nurses and other healthcare providers of the main purpose of HIPAA and how reviewing the regulations of this Act for all healthcare workers is recommended. Since there are new challenges that arise in healthcare every day, it is imperative that the workers have a recap of how important it is to maintain privacy, and renew the strategies used to enhance privacy issues as they are presented. It is important that when dealing with ethical and or legal issues pertaining to patient confidentiality, we as healthcare providers establish and maintain the trust of our patients. Establishing and maintaining a patients trust is crucial when pertaining to the gathering of the patients complete history and accurate health record, and efficiently carry out a treatment plan. If healthcare professionals are not successful with protecting the patients privacy the trust of the healthcare provider will have consequences to the worker/patient relationship that was built between the two. In healthcare our behavior is based off of the ethics we carry, whether these ethics are moral or policy. Most of our behavior is based on principles of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, dignity, common good, fairness, and caring. Furthermore, managing patient confidentiality is not only a legal duty, but an ethical duty as well. The legal obligation of a physician by the U.S. Constitution, federal and state laws, federal and state regulations, and by the court of law is to maintain patient doctor confidentiality. Courts have allowed action toward the physician in a case of breach of confidentiality. Cases which the physician has disclosed information without the consent from the patient first. No matter what type of ethical or legal issues may arise, access to confidential medical information is more common these days. With most of our medical information being on hard drives in a computer, it has made it easier to access this private information, and transmit it to others.

Running Head: ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS PAPER Ethically managing confidential information involves increasing the education of healthcare professionals and open organizational discussion forums. This will help healthcare providers become more aware of what is needed of them, and what type of precautions are to be taken in maintaining confidentiality of the patient. Once the staff has begun having these discussions there should be a retrospective analysis and ethics education for the staff to bring innovative ways to effectively answer difficult questions. In order to abide by confidentiality of information acquired by patient or employee, administrators are sworn in by ethics, and they are only allowed to use their role as an agent to the organization. Managerial responsibilities are to make sure the patient is provided a safe environment where they feel they are able to trust those who are taking care of them. It is up to administration to be committed about providing a safe environment of competent peers. An exceptional ethical solution is based on exceptional problem solving techniques and the gathering of reliable facts. It is important that healthcare providers take into account the moral issues that remain and keep information confidential. Also, what moral issues exist for revealing confidential information that is connected to human dignity and respect of others? When the patient has confidence it opens communication between the patient and healthcare provider. Anyone in a health professionals position has the responsibility to practice in a dedicated ethical manner. As administrators we are obligated to ourselves as well as our community and our employees to have continuous care without compromise that is secure in every aspect of the word secure. With technology changing as the days go by, we as administrators need to make sure that all healthcare providers are educated and reminded frequently of the importance of patient confidentiality. Once this is done by the manager/administrator on a regular basis,

Running Head: ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS PAPER keeping patients documents and medical history private should become more of a routine, rather a reminder.

Running Head: ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS PAPER Reference Silva, M., (December 31, 1998) Overview and Summary: Administrative Ethics: Whats Your Integrity Quotient (IQ) Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 3, No. 3, Overview. Retrieved March 7, 2013 from www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/Tableof Contents/Vol31998/No3Dec1998/IntegrityQuotientOverview.aspx Fregman, B.F. (2009). Medical law and ethics (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall