Review

Patient Privacy and Confi dentiality in the Ambulance Services from the Perspective of Medical Ethics

10.5152/jaem.2011.008

  • Sultan Alan
  • Hasan Erbay

Received Date: 22.06.2010 Accepted Date: 08.11.2010 Eurasian J Emerg Med 2011;10(1):33-38

In this study, the issue of patient confi dentiality in the context of medical ethics with which health care professionals in the ambulance are frequently faced was discussed. In the article, examples of problems encountered, or likely to be encountered, in the ambulance services, together with possible solutions within the framework of ethical approaches, were evaluated. The need of compliance of ambulance staff with the rules of professional ethics and the importance of assuring the privacy of patients was indicated. The patient’s privacy, respect for patient confi dentiality and the importance of protecting the privacy of patients was emphasised in the context of medical ethics.

Keywords: Ambulance, medical ethics, patient privacy and confi dentialty