In healthcare, which practice best protects patient privacy?

• A. Sharing patient information with marketing teams to improve services.
• B. Keeping patient files on shared drives without access controls.
• C. Releasing information to the public without consent.
• D. Limiting access to patient information to those who need it for care

Answer: (D)

Protecting patient privacy hinges on the idea that sensitive health information should only be accessible to people who need it to provide care. This need-to-know, or least-privilege, approach is put into practice through proper access controls, authentication, and role-based permissions. When only those directly involved in a patient’s treatment can view records, the risk of exposure or misuse drops significantly and the patient’s confidentiality is upheld.

Other approaches undermine privacy. Sharing information with marketing teams uses personal health data for non-care purposes and typically requires patient consent. Keeping files on shared drives without access controls creates a broad risk of unauthorized viewing. Releasing information publicly without consent is a clear breach of confidentiality. Limiting access to what’s necessary for care is the best protection.