Regulated Health Professionals Intro To Case Scenarios

The following is designed for Regulated Health Professionals.

These scenarios will help you make practical decisions when you’re in a situation where someone’s privacy or confidentiality might be compromised.

Read them and choose the answer that makes sense to you. A pop-up will explain why your answer is correct or incorrect.

Scenario 1

On route to Radiology, a patient being transported in a wheelchair is asked to hold their health record while the porter pushes the wheelchair. The patient proceeds to open and read the record.

What do you think? Is the patient allowed to read their record?

Yes – Patients have the right to review their health records

No – Patients do not have the right to review their health records

View Answer

The correct response is: Yes

The information contained in the health record belongs to the patient. The health record itself belongs to the organization. You should suggest, however, that the patient request to review their health record at a time when one of the health care team can interpret some of the terminology and explain the record in the context of the treatment plan.

Scenario 2

You are organizing a curling team to compete with other teams in your community. You want a ‘ringer.’ You recall a former patient who mentioned she was quite good at the sport and but had not played since she moved to your community – she was eager to start again. You access her telephone number from her electronic health record. You make certain to ignore all other information.

What do you think? Choose the description that best describes your actions:

No breach of privacy: Telephone numbers are public information. You simply accessed it in a different way.

Breach of privacy: You breached the patient’s privacy because the phone number was collected out of context of providing her care.

View Answer

The correct answer is: “Breach of privacy”

Access only the information that is essential for you to do your work, whether it is providing direct care to the patient or providing services to the hospital. Accessing information that does not pertain to your work may result in disciplinary action.

Scenario 3

A nurse prepares to fax a transcribed report to a different health care facility. The report is for a patient being referred to a specialist for consultation. The patient’s physician has discussed the consultation with the patient.

What do you think?

The nurse may send the fax

The nurse still needs to get written consent

View Answer

The correct response is: “The nurse may send the fax”

If the physician has discussed the consult with the patient and the patient has not opposed to being referred to the other practitioner, there is implied consent that health information will be shared between the two practitioners for the purpose of this consultation. Patients are informed by means of brochures, posers, and website information that we share information with the “circle of care” for the purpose of their on-going health care.

Rural Roads
Health Services

Alexandra Hospital,
Ingersoll

Tillsonburg District
Memorial Hospital

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