[Confidentiality and privacy]

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Health Law
• Information Security in Healthcare

Context:

• Historically, patient secrecy was a professional duty; it has evolved into a fundamental patient right rooted in personal autonomy.
• Modern healthcare faces challenges in maintaining patient confidentiality due to societal attitudes and the proliferation of digital health information.
• The Spanish healthcare system's approach to patient data privacy is examined within this evolving landscape.

Purpose:

• To review the ethical and legal dimensions of patient confidentiality in contemporary healthcare.
• To investigate how healthcare professionals in eight Spanish hospitals manage patient confidentiality.
• To propose recommendations for enhancing patient data protection and professional conduct.

Summary:

• The study analyzes the shift from professional secrecy to patient rights in healthcare, highlighting persistent privacy violations.
• It presents findings from research on confidentiality practices among professionals in eight Spanish hospitals.
• Ethical considerations, legal frameworks, and the impact of information technology on patient data are discussed.

Impact:

• Raises awareness about the ongoing challenges in safeguarding patient confidentiality.
• Provides empirical data on healthcare professionals' handling of sensitive patient information.
• Offers practical recommendations to encourage reflection and improve practices in patient data protection within the healthcare sector.