Personal Health information is a very private issue to many of us.  When you share information about a health problem or a diagnosis with a health professional, that information is confidential.  It is of utmost importance for the health care team to keep that information private for you.

 

The pharmacy team works very hard to protect your information while still providing the service you need.  While this task is clear in many situations, sometimes protection of privacy makes it more difficult to provide the same level of service.  For example: when your accountant needs a printout of all of the medications you received in a year for tax purposes, we hesitate to send the list directly to him or her.  Since accountants are not involved in your daily care, they do not have the right to receive this information without your consent.  We do not want to hamper your tax preparation process, but are sensitive to the fact that your profile contains the list of medications you take.

 

Another example of a difficult privacy issue at the pharmacy is with caregivers.  In most situations, spouses are involved in or aware of the medications and treatment of their loved one.  We are most often correct in assuming that when your spouse calls for information about your prescription, he or she has the right to access that information.  On some occasions, this has not been the case.  We are in a situation where the majority of people wish to have their spouse involved in their care without the barrier of signing a consent form to do so.  In the few situations where this is not the case, we must respect this privacy issue.   While we use our best judgment to determine this, we are at risk of occasionally misinterpreting your wishes. 

 

The balance between patient privacy and prompt convenient service sometimes clash.  We do our very best to provide the highest quality care at a maximum level of service.  Please know that if you ever feel uncomfortable about the level of privacy you receive, we want to know!  It is of utmost concern to us.

 

Written By:  Michelle Herbert Thomas, Pharm.D.