Research Article - Biomedical Research (2017) Volume 28, Issue 4

"The right to privacy" and the patient views in the context of the personal data protection in the field of health

Background and Objective: The personal data protection in the field of health has become crucial in the context of the patient confidentiality and the privacy of information. The Personal Data Protection Law of 2016 and the Patient Rights Regulation (PRR) of 1998 are taken as a basis for the personal data retention in the field of health in Turkey. The PRR, which came into force in 1998 and updated in 2014, has combined the rights of the inpatients and the outpatients in a legal text. According to the text, the respect to the patient confidentiality involves ensuring both the privacy of patient information and the privacy of body. This study was carried out to determine the attitudes of patients hospitalized at Eskisehir Osmangazi University Hospital (ESOGU) towards the confidentiality of information related to patients and privacy, which are included in the right to privacy-an important component of patient rights.

Materials and Methods: The data were collected from 517 individuals receiving inpatient treatment at Eskisehir Osmangazi University Hospital. The aim and content of the research were explained to the patients, and volunteering patients were included in the study. Research data were collected through a survey form in face-to-face interviews group, 201 (38.9%) patients were treated in internal clinics and 316 (61.1%) patients in surgical clinics. SPSS 20.0 was used for data analysis. The average age of patients was 52.4 ± 15.7.

Results: 90 % of the patients agree that the retention of the privacy of patient information and patient confidentiality is a right. Patients feel stronger if they have knowledge of their rights and responsibilities when receiving healthcare services.

Author(s): Nurdan Kirimlioglu

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