Answer To: You are required to record and upload an oral presentation of a structured ethical argument,...
Dr. Saloni answered on Sep 07 2022
15
Confidentiality and Healthcare
Contents
Background 3
Confidentiality as a General Ethical Concept in Society 4
Confidentiality Relates to Healthcare 6
Confidentiality as a Critical Concept of Ethical Healthcare Delivery 7
Confidentiality Relates to the Profession of Nursing 9
Confidentiality and Professional Code of Ethics or Code of Conduct 10
The Source of Ethical Disagreement 10
The Concept of Absolutism 11
Conclusion 11
References 13
Background
The terms 'confidentiality' and 'privacy' are pertinent in the fiduciary position between a patient and a doctor. This trust relationship develops when the physician and his patients have a reasonable expectation of trust and understanding. Medical confidentiality is the notion of a physician preserving all the information obtained during the duration of the patient's care (Androulaki et al., 2018). Patients routinely disclose sensitive or confidential personal data to their medical providers, including doctors, clinicians, and hospitals. If the patient believes that the data is not being guarded and that there is a risk that it will be disclosed, they may refuse to provide the data in the first place. Consequently, maintaining confidentiality and privacy should be a primary concern for health care professionals (Barnable et al., 2018).
The patient's confidentiality concerning her or his treatment is critical and must be guarded. An individual has the right to have his or her medical and personal details kept confidential or private. Such sensitive and private data regarding an individual must be kept between him and his physician, doctor, healthcare provider, or health insurance provider (Blackburn, 2021). The patient's health data given to a healthcare professional shall not be disclosed to anyone else unless the patient has given his permission to do so. Patients' confidentiality must be retained because sharing private data or records can lead to professional or personal issues, while patients rely on physicians to maintain their health information private (Wang & Kogan, 2018).
This paper focuses on the ethical concept of confidentiality. Confidentiality as a general ethical concept in society; confidentiality as an ethical concept as it relates to healthcare; confidentiality as a critical concept as it relates to ethical healthcare delivery; confidentiality concerning the nursing profession; its relevance to the professional code of ethics or code of conduct; and sources of ethical disagreement concerning confidentiality using relevant ethical principles, as well as consideration of absolutism.
Confidentiality as a General Ethical Concept in Society
Privacy rights and confidential information in one's daily experience have emerged as fundamental implications of a society in the modern, fast-paced, high-tech health care field in which experts practice (Thillaiarasu et al., 2018). Any information about a person's private life that they do not want to be shared with anyone else is deemed 'confidential.' This data is distinct from 'public data,' to which each person has a right. There is genuine concern among society regarding potential privacy invasions and the subverting of confidentiality. Problems encountered are frequently complex and necessitate a certain level of expertise for correction. Possible alternatives can be devised by combining ethical theory and philosophies with some of the defined guidance for addressing confidentiality issues (Grilo et al., 2019).
Confidentiality and its significance in practical terms have long preoccupied social workers. Several ethical issues concerning confidentiality challenge social workers, including growing accountability demands, obligatory duty-to-safeguard-or-warn regulations, widening court engagement in competent decision making, and advancing access to data in record keeping through the extending utilisation of technological advances. Social workers frequently confront legal and ethical disagreements between the responsibility to keep customer data confidential and the duty to notify potential sufferers of violent crimes that the service user may be intending (Henderson, 2019).
Confidentiality in social work is critical since the efficacious relationship is built on trust and confidence. If the service user does not trust the social worker as well as conceals important details, the social worker will be unable to fully address the client. Since this may have negative social repercussions, the law recognises a privilege for social workers to safeguard the confidentiality of the clients (Elkoumy et al., 2022). Social workers are also obligated by their professional standards and ethical principles to preserve client confidentiality, even if it means attempting to restrict the reach of any judicial order that may be granted to them. Whenever a client faces an impending risk of violence, nevertheless, confidentiality may create tension with a legal obligation to notify and safeguard. Regardless of whether an individual is the nearest relative, confidentiality agreements remain the same. This implies that individuals won't be able to obtain details of their relative's refusal to consent. Their relatives can choose what details they want their nearest relatives and family to know (Howland, 2021).
Except in limited cases, children, youngsters, and family members associated with the child welfare system possess a right to the confidentiality of their data and private details. Confidentiality is an ethical requirement for the sake of personal sovereignty and trust. However, it may be nullified in cases where preserving it would cause considerable harm (Androulaki et al., 2018). Since the child's best interests must come first, anything that is detrimental to the child should be prioritized. This is influenced by at least five dimensions. As confidentiality is a privilege, distinctions between rights apply to it. Confidentiality is a positive and negative right in diverse manners, as well as a passive and active right. The client is responsible for being trustworthy and attempting to take advantage of the caseworker's advice (Bani Issa et al., 2020).
Confidentiality Relates to Healthcare
One of the doctor's primary responsibilities to his or her clients is confidentiality. Except in very particular circumstances, the confidentiality obligation requires physicians and other...