STANDARD 11.
Privacy / Confidentiality
Respiratory Therapists (RTs) must protect patient/client privacy and confidentiality, in accordance with all applicable legislative, regulatory, and employer requirements.
Performance Requirements
RTs:
Access patient/client personal information only as required for the provision of care.
Share patient/client information with other healthcare team members only when necessary for the provision of care and quality improvement activities, seeking patient/client consent when required.
Take precautions to ensure that conversations and sharing of information via other mediums (e.g., social media, audiovisual recordings) regarding patients/clients are not accessible to others and that patient/client information is not shared with those who are not directly involved in their care.
Protect against theft, loss or unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential patient/client personal information (e.g., passwords, encryption, systems for backup and storage, and processes for sharing/transferring information).
Maintain privacy and ensures confidentiality relating to patient/client personal health information except where the sharing of information is permitted by law in any of the following:
- with the informed consent of the patient/client,
- if required by law (e.g., as part of an investigation or reporting of suspected child abuse), and
- to disclose a risk of harm as enabled under applicable legislation related to personal health information protection.
Patient / Client Expected Outcome
Patients/clients can expect that RTs protect their right to privacy and confidentiality.
RELATED RESOURCES
- College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2014). Responsibilities under Consent Legislation. Professional Practice Guideline. Available at: http://www.crto.on.ca/pdf/PPG/UnderConsent.pdf
- College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2015). Documentation Professional Practice Guideline. Available at: http://www.crto.on.ca/pdf/ppg/documentation.pdf
- Government of Ontario. (2004). Personal Health Information Protection Act. Available at: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/04p03
- Officer of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. (2015). The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. Available at: https://www.priv.gc.ca/leg_c/leg_c_p_e.asp
FOOTNOTES
- College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2010). A Commitment to Ethical Practice. Available at: http://www.crto.on.ca/pdf/Ethics.pdf
- Adapted from College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. (2010). A Commitment to Ethical Practice. Available at: http://www.crto.on.ca/pdf/Ethics.pdf