A medical record is an example of:
1: Public information
2: Private behavior
3: Private information
4: Public behavior
Answer: 3: Private information
Medical record is documented as confidential information because it includes highly individualized person-specific health information. Patients’ medical record usually deals with personal’s past medical conditions, diagnosis, treatments, laboratory data, drugs’ interactions, and some confidential health-related information. These documents are covered by regulating laws and provisions such HIPPA in the USA that mandates healthcare organizations to take privacy and security measures seriously when handling patients’ personal medical information.
Medical records are thus not considered to be public, as they are meant to be available for the use of authorized medical professionals only, and also with the consent of the individuals to whom the records belong. They do not take the place of the categories of public behavior or private behavior, as they are like media write-ups and not actions or behaviors.