How to Protect Health Information

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Health information is gathered as you seek preventative care or treatment for medical illnesses. Most offices have a physical or computer file-keeping system, by which they track your treatment. This is a positive direction for health care because it allows doctors to remain current on all aspects of your health; however, it also means that your health information can possibly be given easily to third parties for their use. In order to ensure your health information is protected, you must take precautions when receiving all care. This article will tell you how to protect health information.
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    Understand your country's health information privacy act. Most western countries have developed privacy acts by which health providers must comply. The following are ways that some hospitals may still release your personal health information:
    • Your private health information may be communicated between your health care providers. This is required to ensure you have comprehensive health care.
    • Your health care information is communicated to the insurance company and the company that bills for the insurance company. Get in contact with your insurance company to make sure they are keeping your personal health information private.
    • Your health care information may be communicated to the government for public health concerns or in cases of neglect or domestic abuse. It may be released for judicial judgments, to law enforcement officials or for national security.
    • Ensure the health care provider does not have clauses for marketing and fundraising efforts that could contain your personal health care information.
    • Most hospitals will communicate information about appointments and test results. You can decide whether they can give you the information on your voicemail or if they must ask you to return the call.
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    Read all privacy documents carefully before you are asked to sign them.Other than the national act, most offices and hospitals provide their own health privacy policies that you are asked to read and sign. They tell you exactly how they plan to use your health information.
    • In some cases, the hospital may detail how they plan to use any samples for research and that tissue samples belong to the hospital after they are taken. These samples may also be distributed with basic health information. Ask the medical facility about these clauses before you sign, in case you can opt out.
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    Make sure the place you are being treated abides by the national privacy act.Some facilities, such as alternative treatment facilities and private clinics, may provide treatment that is not required under this act. Ask about the office's privacy policy before signing.
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    Ask how your information will be released if you are involved in a health research project. In some cases, you may be asked to release information that would be otherwise protected. Read carefully into your research project's privacy agreement.
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    Ask if you can withhold your social security number on questionnaires and other documents. Some offices use social security numbers for bookkeeping purposes, a purpose for which it was not designed. Ask to remove your social security number from paperwork if possible.
    • The social security number accounting system was meant only for social security tax collection purposes. Throughout the years, it has been used for other things, such as driver's license numbers and bookkeeping. By distributing your social security number, third parties can learn more about your life and health information, and you may be subject to identity theft.
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    Shred your insurance documents, prescription forms and physician forms after they are no longer needed. Most of these forms contain social security numbers, insurance numbers, address and other information that could lead to identity theft.
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    Limit the amount of health information you keep on your computer. For example, some x-rays are available on discs and they should remain on discs rather than the computer. Also, any communication documents or faxes should be stored offline and on either portable hard drives or flash drives.
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    Do not email prescription numbers, health information or other private health information. Successful phishing scams can provide companies with information on your health.
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    Limit the health information that you give to your employer. Unless you are involved in a physically laborious job or you have a worker's compensation claim, employer documents are not protected by national privacy acts.
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    Control who of your family and friends has access to your health information. Most offices will ask you to supply information for emergency contacts. You can also specify whether they can hear information about your health, or if they can simply relay messages to call the health care provider.


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