Conversations

Q: What should you do if you are in a public area and need to discuss a patient?
A: Move to a more private place, or if none is available, lower your voice to reduce the risk of being overheard.

Q: What should you do if you are talking with a patient in a semiprivate room?
A: You should be sure to pull the curtain, lower your voice, and be discreet.

Q: We know that medical records, whether paper or electronic, are confidential. What about handwritten notes and phone calls?
A: All forms of information, written, spoken, or electronic, are confidential and must be protected.

Q: What should you do if you are in an elevator or on a shuttle and others are discussing a patient?
A: Politely remind them to respect patient privacy and ask them to resume the conversation in a more private place.