medical records confidentiality

Medical records confidentiality means that a patient's personal health information is kept private and protected from unauthorized access. This is vital to ensure trust between patients and healthcare providers. Laws, like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the U.S., set strict rules about who can see and share medical records. Only authorized individuals, such as healthcare professionals directly involved in a patient’s care, can access these records. Breaching this confidentiality can lead to legal consequences and undermine the integrity of the healthcare system. Patients have the right to control who sees their information.