In Nigeria privacy should be taken serious in Healthcare.

Privacy is to be taken seriously, there are some vital information about patients that must not be disclosed no matter the occurrence, everyone wants to feel secure. Should certain information be disclosed be it intentionally or unintentionally persons who such information belong to, will find it difficult to move around without covering up their faces; realistically all records must be stored in a retrieval system whereby the can be safeguarded out of reach of anyone.

Confidential heath care is a human right enshrined in law, therefore it has been taken seriously, if the health records of an individual is lost completely then they would not find healthcare secure and meaningful, people like to see their files and information kept for years even after a tenure when they are not going to need them anymore, it is now a thing of advantage that there has been various electronically methods of keeping information.

Should a patient request for their health record and it cannot be provided due to the natural disaster that has destroyed the copies that have been kept, then the patient should be explained to by management and it would be assured to them that there is a kind of format used by the organization that could not be deciphered by anyone outside the health care organization.

Teenagers must be seriously remembered in this occurrence because they do not want their health information to leak out to their parents, friends and strangers. A teenager who sits in a consulting room with his or her doctor can rely on their doctor to keep confidential any information that has been disclosed except an exemption applies.

Permissions for uses and disclosures of facts about any patient, their ailment and treatment are not to be shared except they are  permitted or required as stated by health care law, a covered entity may not use or disclose protected health information without a permission that is equitable under the law, meanwhile when a covered entity obtains or receives a legitimate permission for its use or disclosure of protected health information or report, such use or disclosure of preserved health information must be constant with such permission. Permission is not required in some instances such as in the cases listed below

1. Uses by the creator of the analysis for treatment

2. Uses for training programs in which trainees learn under the supervision to practice and improve their skills in group or individual counseling

3. Use or disclosure by the covered entity to defend itself in a legal action or other proceedings brought by owners of such ingotmation.

But for every other use permission from patient is expected to be granted before usage, some might agree to, without any terms with the physician while other might decide to give conditions with which such facts can be used. If disclosures are done without following the necessary procedures then the owner of such a fact has the right to take it up in the law court for the charge of breaching over privacy.

Every health professional is expected to know the basis of disclosing health information and they are to follow the legal procedures so as to safeguard them from facing the wrath or the law.

Health care has not been a static, so much changes have been made in health care over the years, most of which are benefitting to the hospitals, professional health care workers and the patient alongside. It has also marked merit for the health care industry. In the last 10 years there has been the introduction of modern health care facilities which helps to facilitate the delivery of health care services. Technological advancement has also crept into health care which has made it easier for health professionals to carry out their function in a better way with the maximum amount of precision. There is now the use of syringes that are being controlled electronically by computers; much type of machines have been discovered and introduced by scientist which have made monitoring of patients easier and faster. This is not the area in which health care has developed, if health care facilities are considered, it would be identified that these facilities are better built, attractive and serving purposes. There are many electronically operated doors, beds, wheel chairs and more. Cameras are now used in every patient ward and waiting rooms so as to monitor and to record the way health care is being dispensed, this alone has helped to ensure that every health professional is not doing the wrong thing or treating patients in a manner that is not acceptable by the patients or that is out of healthcare ethics.

All of these are enough to ensure that a patient health records are intact therefore no matter the incidence/disaster heathcare is ahead. We are a modern health care organization so we must be able to harness all that we got in place.