Knowledge, conduct and opinions of health professionals concerning confidentiality at a hospital

Abstract

Background. To analyse the knowledge, conduct and opinions concerning confidentiality of the medical and nursing personnel who attended the 13 seminars given on this subject at the Virgen del Camino Hospital in Pamplona in the year 2002. Methods. Distribution before the start of each seminar of a survey of 11 closed questions to be completed anonymously. Results. Ninety-three percent (93.0%) of the 244 professionals attending the seminars responded to the survey (128 doctors and 99 nurses). Ninety-two point one percent (92.1%) of the professionals understand what privacy is, but 58.1% do not know any of the laws that regulate it. Eighty-seven point five percent (87.5%) know when it is legitimate to access the data on a patient, but contrary conduct is recognise in a percentage that increases with age, from 12.5% in the group under 31 years old to 51.9% in those over 50 years of age. More correct practices were recolected amongst nursing personnel even when they show less theoretical knowledge about these questions. Forty-nine point seven percent (49.7%) of the professionals would join another centre if they wanted their diagnosis not to be divulged amongst their colleagues, and 92.2% consider informal comments made in the corridors to be the most frequent way of breaking confidentiality in the hospital. Conclusion. It seems timely to call attention to ethical and legal responsibility in our hospital and to encourage reflection amongst professional about this questions of confidentiality in order to improve this key dimension of health care.