Monoplace Delivery System

Monthly Hyperbaric Safety Notice: March 2007

Patient Confidentiality

Background

Patient confidentiality is an ongoing battle in the health care field. In April 2003, HIPAA guidelines were put in place to regulate the disclosure of Protected Health Information. Today, additional guidelines are still being implemented to protect the “patient” from their breach of privacy/confidentiality.

The Issue

In the medical field today, patient confidentiality is an issue that appears to take precedence above all others. It is constantly an issue in the hyperbaric facility where, despite our best efforts, patient privacy is hard to maintain.

As we all know, it is hard to provide patient confidentiality when we are confined to such a small area. As health care providers of course, we want to protect our patients from this violation. There are many things we can do within our units to protect our patients. They include: pulling the curtains between patients when they are getting on stretchers, making sure charts are covered and locked up when not being used, using patients HBO numbers to label items instead of last names, making sure our computer screens are covered and logged off of when the user is done, and using cover sheets when faxing patient health care material, etc. These are examples of the methods we can incorporate to protect our patients.

In the NBS Policies and Procedures Manual, C.6. HIPAA, it states that “While in the hyperbaric facility a patient has the right to expect privacy, confidentiality, and security of their PHI, as it is contained in the policy.” It is the responsibility of all NBS employees, therefore, to safeguard information related to the organization, customers, and patients.

Bottom Line

It is our responsibility as health care providers to adhere by the standards put in place for us by HIPAA, our client hospitals, and NBS. Violation of these standards places the patient at some risk and NBS at much greater risk.

Contributing Author: Dick Clarke, CHT

Dick Clarke Dick is President of National Baromedical Services, which he founded in 1986. His previous background included service in the British Royal Navy, diving instructor and underwater photographer, assistant director of the seabed habitat 'HydroLab' and several years in the offshore commercial diving industry. Dick heads the Baromedical Research Foundation where he serves as Principal Investigator for several international clinical trials. He is course director for 'Primary Training in Hyperbaric Medicine' and the 'HBO 2000' series of advanced hyperbaric symposia. Dick has been a NOAA Diving Medical Officer Training Course faculty member since 1983. He pioneered the Certification in Hyperbaric Technology (CHT) program, is a past president of the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology and remains active at the committee level within the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society.

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