Which duty obligates the provider to keep patient information private?

• A. To obtain informed consent
• B. To maintain confidentiality
• C. To render treatment within a reasonable time
• D. To keep accurate records

Answer: (B)

Protecting patient privacy through confidentiality means safeguarding a patient’s personal health information and sharing it only with those who need to know for treatment, payment, or health care operations. This duty is grounded in professional ethics and legal requirements, including HIPAA and state regulations, and it applies to all forms of information—written records, electronic data, and what is spoken in person or over the phone. Keeping information confidential helps maintain trust and ensures patients feel safe seeking care. There are legitimate, lawful exceptions where disclosure is permitted or required (for example, certain public health reporting or mandated disclosures), but outside those exceptions, the information should remain private.

This duty is distinct from obtaining informed consent, which is about giving the patient enough information to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with treatment and then obtaining their voluntary agreement. It is also different from the obligation to render treatment in a timely manner, which concerns meeting an expected standard of care, and from keeping accurate records, which focuses on the accuracy and completeness of documentation rather than privacy.