Protecting information gathered in association with the care of the patient is a core value in health care.
Privacy
Patient privacy encompasses a number of aspects, including personal space (physical privacy), personal data (informational privacy), personal choices including cultural and religious affiliations (decisional privacy), and personal relationships with family members and other intimates (associational privacy).
LINK 1: Code of Medical Ethics opinions; privacy
Confidentiality
Patients need to be able to trust that physicians will protect information shared in confidence.
LINK 2: Code of Medical Ethics opinions; confidentiality
Medical records
Medical records serve important patient interests for present health care and future needs, as well as insurance, employment and other purposes.
LINK 3: Code of Medical Ethics opinions; medical records
PDF 1: Chapter 3: Opinions on privacy, confidentiality & medical records
AMA Code of Medical Ethics
Visit the Code of Medical Ethics page to access additional Opinions, the Principles of Medical Ethics and a list of CME courses that are available.
LINK 4: Review the Code Opinions
These Opinions are offered as ethics guidance for physicians and are not intended to establish standards of clinical practice or rules of law.