Management of Patient Information and Privacy Protection

Developments in science and technology have led to globalization in today's world. Moreover, the developments have gone far beyond the concepts of time, space, and person: they have started to reach people rapidly and easily, with individuality being reduced to a minimum. Thus, the boundaries on individuals' life/space and the values/elements belonging to this space have become transparent. The healthcare field has also taken its large share from these technological developments, and the use of information technologies in the healthcare field has gradually increased. Instant access to medical information has provided a rapid acceleration in the ease of information exchange and care quality. However, this emerging picture of transparency has brought certain concerns about privacy and privacy violations. The concept of patient rights, which had begun being discussed alongside the adoption of the Declaration of Human Rights, also embodies many significant principles such as respect for human dignity, receiving patient approval in medical interventions, privacy, and respect for one's personal life. Therefore, preventing these emerging concerns and protecting data about individuals' private lives have become quite important. The ethical requirements begun with the Hippocratic Oath have gained strength alongside the laws states have en acted about this issue, as well as the suggestions offered by various organizations and communities toward patient confidentiality and privacy. In Turkey, activities of units established on this issue have been developing gradually since the Patient Rights Code came into effect (1998). Protecting individual rights and patients' benefits is one of the primary responsibilities of healthcare professionals. In this context, healthcare professionals essentially must activate patient autonomy by providing privacy and con fidentiality during the care and treatment process. Autonomy, which is an important part of patient centered care, is also a basic need and necessity.