Disclosure of confidential patient information without patient consent can occur quite often in healthcare settings and is the basis of many cases brought against healthcare facilities. There are many ways in which confidential information ends up in the wrong hands and this document explores some of these ways and how this can be prevented. When confidential patient information is disclosed without consent, it is a violation of the HIPAA Title II security rule. This rule was issued in response to leaks of private information in the news and emails containing inside information being read by unauthorized people. Identity theft is a real concern, so patient privacy should be taken seriously. This is a rule that can be easily broken without the offender feeling any malice towards the victim, such as gossip and curiosity. Gossip in a doctor's office can have devastating effects on a healthcare facility's reputation. Employees who chat to pass the time may be inadvertently overheard by patients or family members. Simply not using the patient's name may not be enough if the person listening to the conversation notices the similarity. Professional behavior should be practiced at all times and juvenile behavior, such as spreading gossip, has no place in a business that relies on its credibility. This rule will impact how patient records are handled because we know the severity of it. Hospitals that do not enforce HIPAA regulations will face negative repercussions. The patient may suffer irreversible damage to his or her view of the medical field and hospital if his or her information is not handled carefully. They may even feel so violated that they file a lawsuit against the hospital. Security rule requires coverage...... middle of document......ess.illinois.edu/TWC%20Class/Project_reports_Spring2007/HIPAA/mtmcinto/ McIntosh.pdfPhiprivacy.net. (n.d.). Incidents involving patient or health-related data [PDF file of privacy breach articles for 2008]. Retrieved from http://www.phiprivacy.net/MedicalPrivacy/Chronology_2008.pdfPhiprivacy.net. (n.d.). UCLA employees snooped through Spears' medical records [Summary of Facts]. Retrieved from http://www.phiprivacy.net/documentation/2008/UCLA_01.htmlPhiprivacy.net. (2008, March). How many patient privacy violations per month? [Statistics]. Retrieved from http://www.phiprivacy.net/?p=3739University of Texas Medical Branch. (n.d.). HIPAA Overview. Retrieved from http://www.utmb.edu/compliance/hipaa/hipaa-overview.htmU.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Privacy of health information. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/index.html