As a dental affected person, you have got the precise to anticipate that your private data will likely be stored confidential. This implies it doesn’t fall into the flawed fingers and isn’t used for any functions aside from people who have your consent. In actual fact, affected person privateness is so essential that it’s protected by legislation, particularly by way of the Well being Insurance coverage Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

What’s HIPAA and what does it require of dentists?

HIPAA is a federal legislation that units nationwide requirements for the safety of well being data. Protected well being data, sometimes called PHI, is any data in your well being report that can be utilized to determine you, together with earlier or present diagnoses, together with private data like your title, deal with or social safety quantity.

HIPAA legislation applies to all healthcare suppliers, together with dentists. Because the American Dental Affiliation explains, HIPAA requires dentists to take steps to guard the privateness of their sufferers’ well being data. These steps embrace:

• Getting your written consent earlier than utilizing or sharing your well being data for any goal aside from therapy, cost or healthcare operations.
• Offering you with a duplicate of your privateness coverage.
• Providing you with entry to your well being data upon request and in a well timed method.
• Preserving your well being data confidential and safe. This consists of not posting your private well being data on public boards, even when we’re responding to a evaluation you have got left about your expertise.

What are you able to do to guard your affected person privateness?

There are a number of issues you are able to do to guard your privateness as a dental affected person. These embrace:

• Studying your dentist’s privateness coverage.
• Asking your dentist questions on how your well being data will likely be used.
• Understanding who’s allowed to obtain your well being data.
• Signing solely these consent kinds that you simply totally perceive and agree with.
• Verifying the supply earlier than sharing any private well being data.
• Refraining from posting personal well being data on on-line message boards or social media. 

As dental suppliers, prioritizing affected person privateness helps preserve a relationship with you that’s constructed on belief. If in case you have any questions on how your personal well being data is getting used and guarded, don’t hesitate to contact our staff!