The Confidentiality Committee is launching a Confidentiality Awareness Campaign from September 16 through September 22. Representatives from Thomas Jefferson University, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Methodist Hospital and Jefferson University Physicians developed the campaign to inform employees.

Since patient information is widely available through computerized databases, spoken word, and printed material, employees must be aware of the sensitive nature of this information and take steps to keep it confidential. Breaching the confidentiality of patient information is often unintentional. Examples of this inappropriate behavior include:

• discussing patient information in public places like elevators, stairwells and the atrium
• leaving printed patient information laying around or displayed on boards at the conclusion of rounds/ shift report/educational inservices
• discussing the patient’s condition with his or her family and friends, without the patient’s consent
• publicly announcing confidential patient information in a waiting room or registration area
• accessing patient information without a job-related Need-To-Know (family, friends, public figures, fellow employees)
• leaving a patient’s information displayed on an open computer terminal

Identification of these common breaches is the first step toward improving employee awareness and ensuring the confidentiality of all patient records.

One method that identifies inappropriate access to computerized information is the ongoing security audits of the LastWordŽ patient database. Any behavior found to deliberately violate a patient’s confidentiality is against University policy and may result in disciplinary actions.

During the week of the campaign, look for a video display in the atrium, brochure distribution with the September 16 payroll, posters and departmental inservices. A packet of confidentiality information will also be distributed to all university and hospital key personnel by September 1, to assist managers in reviewing the Patient Confidentiality Policy with their departments. For more information, contact Margaret Cunningham at 503-4331.

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