Legal and Ethical Issues for Health Professionals
Accessing someone else’s medical information without their consent violates their privacy and is likely a breach of professional and ethical standards, regardless of the reason (Muhsin, 2021). Therefore, if a colleague were to access a cousin’s test results without proper authorization, it would be inappropriate and potentially illegal. If a colleague informs me that they have accessed a cousin’s test results, I should not encourage or condone such behaviour. Accessing medical information without proper authorization violates privacy and may have legal consequences (Clayton et al., 2019). If the cousin’s health may be jeopardized, I could encourage the family to seek medical advice and treatment from a qualified healthcare provider. I suggest they consult with a patient advocate or medical ethics expert to discuss their concerns and potential courses of action. Do you need help with your assignment ? Contact us at eminencepapers.com.
Regarding reporting, healthcare professionals and others with access to medical information must maintain patient confidentiality and privacy. Therefore, if I am aware of unauthorized access to medical information, I have a duty to report the incident to the appropriate authorities, such as the cousin’s healthcare provider, the hospital’s privacy officer, or a regulatory agency. My organization also has specific policies and procedures for handling privacy breaches that you should follow. It may also be necessary to involve legal counsel to determine if any laws or regulations have been violated and what actions should be taken to address the situation. In any case, handling the situation with sensitivity and respect for the privacy and rights of all parties involved is important.
As a healthcare professional, it is important to uphold ethical standards and maintain patient confidentiality. Reporting any unauthorized access to medical information to the appropriate authorities is essential to prevent further breaches of privacy. It is also crucial to handle the situation with sensitivity and respect for the rights and privacy of all parties involved. By doing so, healthcare professionals can ensure that patient privacy and confidentiality are protected and that the integrity of the healthcare profession is maintained.
References
Clayton, E. W., Evans, B. J., Hazel, J. W., & Rothstein, M. A. (2019). The law of genetic privacy: applications, implications, and limitations. Journal of Law and the Biosciences, 6(1), 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1093/jlb/lsz007./
Muhsin, S. M. (2021). Medical Confidentiality Ethics: The Genesis of an Islamic Juristic Perspective. Journal of Religion and Health, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01313-7./
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Question 
A colleague looked up a cousin’s test results and informed you about having done so.
Legal and Ethical Issues for Health Professionals
The cousin is very sick and the family, extremely fearful about the potential diagnosis, wanted to see if your colleague could find out in advance to help the cousin’s family. What would you do in this scenario? Are you obligated to report? If so, what steps would you take?