Standard 11 - Privacy/Confidentiality
Standard 11 - Privacy/Confidentiality
Respiratory Therapists (RTs) must protect patient/client privacy and confidentiality, in accordance with all applicable legislative, regulatory, and employer requirements.
Performance Requirements
RTs:
- Access patient/client personal information only as required for the provision of care.
- Share patient/client information with other healthcare team members only when necessary for the provision of care and quality improvement activities, seeking patient/client consent when required.
- When using electronic communication tools (e.g.., social media, audiovisual recordings), take precautions to ensure that conversations and sharing of information via other mediums regarding patients/clients' information, including names, addresses, and other identifying details, is not shared with those who are not directly involved in their care.
- Protect against theft, loss or unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential patient/client personal information (e.g., passwords, encryption, systems for backup and storage, and processes for sharing/transferring information).
- Maintain privacy and ensure confidentiality relating to patient/client personal health information except where sharing of information is done pursuant to the following:
- with the informed consent of the patient/client,
- if required by law (e.g., as part of an investigation or reporting of suspected child abuse), and
- to disclose a risk of harm as authorized under applicable legislation related to personal health information protection.
Patient/Client Expected Outcome
Patients/clients can expect that RTs protect their right to privacy and confidentiality.
Related Standards
- Collaboration/Interprofessional Collaboration
- Consent
- Documentation & Information Management
- Patient/Client Assessment & Therapeutic Procedures
- Professional Responsibilities
Related Resources
- Government of Nova Scotia. (2010). Personal Health Information Act. Available at: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/personal%20health%20information.pdf
- Government of Canada. (2000). The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. Available at: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/p-8.6.
- Nova Scotia Regulator of Respiratory Therapy. (2020). NSRRT Documentation Guideline. Available at: https://nsrrt.ca/images/202002_Documentation_Guideline.pdf
- Nova Scotia Regulator of Respiratory Therapy. (2017) NSRRT Social Media Guideline. Available at: https://nsrrt.ca/images/NSRRT_Social_Media_Guideline.pdf
Glossary
Healthcare team refers to “peers, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals (regulated and non-regulated).”[1]
Patient/client refers to “individual, group, community or population who is the recipient of respiratory therapy services and, where the context requires, includes a substitute decision-maker for the recipient of respiratory therapy services”.[2]
[1] College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2021). A Commitment to Ethical Practice. Available at: https://ethics.crto.on.ca/
[2]Nova Scotia Government. Regulated Health Professions Act (2023). Available at: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/regulated%20health%20professions.pdf