Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and upholding patient privacy heavily relies on fundamental ethical principles.
“Ethical principles are used to define right from wrong action,” explains research on mental health and community concepts in nursing. These principles help healthcare professionals provide quality care and protect patient rights.
The research describes five foundational ethical principles:
- “Autonomy (self-determination),
- Beneficence (do good),
- Nonmaleficence (do no harm),
- Justice (fairness),
- Fidelity (keep promises), and
- Veracity (tell the truth).”
Autonomy: Respecting patient choices
“The ethical principle of autonomy recognizes each individual’s right to self-determination and decision-making based on their unique values, beliefs, and preferences.”
Healthcare providers must secure explicit patient consent before sharing sensitive health information. Respectful communication honors the patient's autonomy and promotes a trusting provider-patient relationship.
It also empowers patients to make informed healthcare decisions where their voices are heard and respected.
Beneficence: Acting in the patient's best interest
Beneficence is the duty to promote good and act in the patient's best interests. It requires healthcare providers to look for ways to improve patient health outcomes.
For example, “When caring for clients with mental health disorders, nurses implement beneficence when advocating for evidence-based treatment for clients’ mental health.”
Nonmaleficence: Commitment to do no harm
Doing no harm extends to protecting patient information from potential risks. Healthcare providers must use a HIPAA compliant email solution, like Paubox, with advanced security measures to prevent data breaches and unauthorized access.
Additionally, providers must verify the patient data accuracy, and check that health information is only shared with authorized individuals.
Justice: Ensuring equitable care
Justice demands fairness and equal access to care. In healthcare settings, it is imperative that “quality care is provided to all clients, even those who do not have the cognitive ability to communicate their needs.”
Healthcare providers can help eliminate barriers to care by considering factors like language differences, disabilities, and socioeconomic challenges. More specifically, providers can use HIPAA compliant emails to give patients relevant health information to make better informed decisions.
Fidelity: Upholding trust and commitments
“Role fidelity is defined as being responsible for providing competent [healthcare].” Providers must honor their patient commitments through timely and compassionate care.
Healthcare providers should also advocate for their patients' best interests and involve patients in the decision-making process to promote a trustworthy patient-provider relationship.
Veracity: Commitment to truthfulness
Veracity obligates healthcare providers to deliver truthful information. Providers must communicate using language that patients can easily understand, avoiding complex medical jargon that could cause confusion.
Ultimately, clear communication can help patients make well-informed choices about their care, promoting better health outcomes.
Go deeper: Clarify medical jargon with HIPAA compliant email
FAQs
What is HIPAA compliance?
HIPAA compliance refers to adhering to regulations outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to safeguard patients’ protected health information (PHI).
What types of information can HIPAA compliant emails include?
Providers can use HIPAA compliant emails to send sensitive health information, like patient education materials, appointment reminders, treatment plans, and other medical communications.
Can healthcare organizations customize emails for specific language needs?
Yes, healthcare organizations can customize HIPAA compliant emails to support specific language needs by sending educational materials in multiple languages to cater to diverse patient populations.
Read more: Using HIPAA compliant emails for multi-language patient education
