A patient at the SAIT Dental Clinic has finished their appointment. The dentist has recommended a referral to a dental specialist. A copy of the referral is printed and given to the patient. The patient leaves the clinic but returns later, the patient realizes that the referral is not hers – the information belongs to another patient Is this good privacy and confidentiality practice? Why or why not?Explain

Privacy Laws and Ethics

Purpose: Patients trust their dental healthcare providers with their personal information. If patients don’t feel that a dental healthcare provider will keep their information confidential and secure, patients may not choose to share their information which may adversely impact their healthcare and treatment (Eaton, 2019). As a dental assistant you need to be aware of the legislation surrounding the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information. When you are aware of what it means to keep personal health information private and confidential you can better respond to patient questions and build their trust (Eaton, 2019).

Instructions: Complete the privacy awareness scenarios below with a partner during your DENT 277 lab session. Be prepared to discuss your answers in class.

Privacy Scenarios

Scenario 1

Mary works at a busy dental clinic as the dental assistant. She is also a busy soccer Mom. One day, a parent texts her at work and tells her that something has come up and she can’t go to the game tonight.
She is the snack Mom and asks Mary if she can pop by her house to pick up the snack to bring to the game for her. Mary cannot remember the house address, so she quickly searches the patient data base to look up the address. Mary does not look at any treatment records.

Is this good privacy and confidentiality practice? Why or why not?

Scenario 2

Did you hear the news? Drake is working on a movie in Calgary! He supposedly fell while working and broke a tooth. He saw a dentist to receive treatment for his injury. We hope he is alright!

You ask your friend who works at the dental office that treated Drake, if she actually spoke to him.

Is this good privacy and confidentiality practice? Why or why not?

Scenario 3

You are placed in a dental office for your practicum and the administrative staff want to demonstrate to you how their electronic charts work. The administrative staff uses her own chart to show you how to enter treatment. She knows that there is no super confidential content in her chart and will simply delete the treatment after she is done training you.

Is this good privacy and confidentiality practice? Why or why not?

Scenario 4

A patient of the SAIT Dental Clinic is moving to another city and asks to have a copy of their personal dental chart so that they have it with them in case they need it.
The custodian discusses the access with the patient and:
Identifies what information the patient wants printed
Assists the patient in completing an access request form, so that both parties are clear about what information will be provided, the patient signs this form
The patient is informed that they can pick up the information from the clinic the next day

Is this good privacy and confidentiality practice? Why or why not?

Scenario 5

A patient at the SAIT Dental Clinic has finished their appointment. The dentist has recommended a referral to a dental specialist. A copy of the referral is printed and given to the patient. The patient leaves the clinic but returns later, the patient realizes that the referral is not hers – the information belongs to another patient

Is this good privacy and confidentiality practice? Why or why not?

Scenario 6

The patient you just saw for an x-ray appointment is really cute and you would like to touch base with them on social media. You know that the patient listed their email address in their chart, so you look up the address and use this information, along with their name, to find the patient on Facebook. You send the patient a friend request.

Is this good privacy and confidentiality practice? Why or why not?

Scenarios Adapted from: Privacy awareness quiz (2019, May). www.informationmanagers.ca

Reference.

Eaton, J. (2019, May).Tip: Privacy awareness quiz. www.informationmanagers.ca

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