Which practice best protects patient privacy in clinical settings?

• A. Discuss patient information in the hallway to save time.
• B. Close doors or use curtains, speak discreetly, and limit disclosure to authorized individuals.
• C. Post patient identifiers on a public board
• D. Share passwords with colleagues for access

Answer: (B)

Protecting patient privacy means keeping health information confidential and ensuring only those who need to know have access. The best practice is to create physical and conversational boundaries: close doors or use curtains, speak discreetly, and limit disclosure to authorized personnel involved in care. This reduces the risk that sensitive information is overheard by others and supports trust and compliance with privacy laws and ethics.

Discussing patient information in the hallway can be overheard by bystanders, posting patient identifiers on a public board publicly reveals who the patient is and what their care entails, and sharing passwords with colleagues undermines security and allows unauthorized access to electronic records. Following these privacy principles protects the patient and the organization.