Medical Confidentiality Agreements
Medical patients are often required to sign a confidentiality agreement when they enter a medical clinic or hospital. The confidentiality agreement or contract is designed to protect the patient's health status and personal information and the medical clinic that treats the patient. Both parties have a right to have personal health and treatment information kept confidential to other clinic employees, patient families and the general public.
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Reasons for Agreement
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The main reason for using a confidentiality agreement in a medical setting is to protect both the clinic and the patient. During the visits to the health clinic, the patient may reveal or share personal information so the doctor can eliminate conditions and diseases as a method of diagnosis. Some of this information may be personal or embarrassing for the patient, so she has a right to keep it confidential.
Additional Agreement Members
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The main partners in the medical confidentiality agreement are the doctor treating the patient and the patient being treated. However, other individuals could be allowed to read the information outlined in the agreement or the patient's medical folder. These individuals are named in the agreement, so both the doctor and patient agree on these individuals. They could include the patient's spouse or other nurses in the health clinic or hospital, but will vary case by case.
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Sections in the Agreement
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Other sections in the medical confidentiality agreement include how the information will be treated in the clinic and what will happen if the confidentiality agreement is breached by either party. The patient may have a set of legal options should the information be mistreated or revealed to parties not outlined in the agreement.
Confidential Content
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The content that is kept confidential can include a description of the patient's health condition. This can include information about each doctor's visit, personal information the patient has shared with the doctor, tests or examinations the patient may have completed, medications the patient is taking as part of a treatment plan and any personal decisions the patient has made during the treatment. The patient has a right to keep the information confidential with the doctor of her choice.
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