Protection of personal data in the course of rendering health care

Protection of personal data in the course of rendering health care SUMMARY Medical treatment is based on trust. Patients coming to the medical facility often share details about their personal lives that could potentially embarrass or dishonour them and eventually discourage them from getting medical treatment at all. That is why patients seeking medical help need to know that those to whom they confide in are willing to keep the information private and discreet. This thesis will address the protection of personal data in the healthcare area and its main purpose is to provide complex analysis of the relevant legal framework, especially in the light of the recently passed legislation. Protection of personal data in the healthcare are is governed by two pieces of legislation - The Data Protection Act and The Healthcare Act. These statutes present main instruments by which the protection of patients' information is provided. The first part of the thesis examines the general principles of the data protection as they are outlined by the Data Protection Act. It also looks at the key terms of data protection, such as personal data, sensitive data, data subjects and processing and examines the role of the Data Protection Office. Second part the thesis deals with the duty of confidentiality and its personal,..