Preserving patient confidentiality: the technical, cultural and political issues

Ian Herbert, Independent Consultant in Health Informatics

Health informatics is a relatively new, but rapidly growing profession and one which is now an attractive career choice for many IT professionals. It can be defined as using the knowledge, skills and tools which enable information to be collected, managed, used and shared safely to support the delivery of healthcare and promote health. Preserving confidentiality whilst actively sharing records to ensure continuity of care can be a difficult balancing act which clinicians, particularly GPs, face every day – usually doing it to the patient’s satisfaction. Add in secondary uses such as the need for financial accounting and research and the water gets muddier. Ian will examine the issues being identified and will reveal where mistakes and breaches have occurred – highlighting best practice – and lead a discussion on the way forward.

Location

Lindop Building, University of Hertfordshire
University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, AL10 9AB

Cost

Free for members and non-members

Last updated 12th November, 2023 at 11:28am