Confidentiality and Privacy

Confidentiality and Privacy

As wellness professionals, we are privy to information such as results of a Situational Assessment, personal health information and data, and the results of evaluations and/or research.  If confidentiality is breached and/or we engage in unethical practices, we stand to lose credibility, and/or damage our professional reputation and integrity.  As a way to maintain confidentiality, it is very important that participant information should only be shared with appropriate health professionals, unless laws mandate the disclosure to others (e.g. if there are concerns that someone might harm themselves or others). 

It is also very important to store information properly, if you collect it, or if you use a third party for any sort of online evaluations or tech platforms.  If your priority population is providing data to these outside sources, you need to ask how their information is stored and if it is in alignment with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEA) in Canada and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States (especially if the company or app you are using is American or has US servers).  The “fine print” should always be read first before utilizing any sort of app, online survey, or tech portal and employees must be made aware of how their information will be stored and/or accessed. 

Ethical Dilemma: a workplace wellness app you have been using for a number of months for company challenges was purchased by a new company who is not clear with how participant information will be stored.  Many of your employees enjoy the app and some have shared that it is because of the app that they joined, and have stayed in the program.  What will you do?

Principles of Justice and Fairness

Justice requires that wellness professionals treat participants fairly, so ultimately fairness is an element of justice.  This also might be challenging when presented with another’s behaviour that conflicts with our own believes and values.  But as health promotion professionals we are not in the business to judge, but rather we are here to act as facilitators to help others accomplish their goals.

Ethical Dilemma: a comprehensive (and expensive) diabetes education program is being offered to an “at risk” group of employees in a particular department, however, there are other employees from other departments that would benefit just as much, but there is not enough money in the budget.  What would you do?