HOSPITAL-MEDIA RELATIONSHIP AND PATIENTS’ PRIVACY: CODIFYING THE ETHICAL GUIDELINE

Abstract

The hospital-media relationship could be mutually beneficial. Appealing to maximum readers and surviving in business are priorities in journalism. Without adherence to an ethical framework and main ethical principles including privacy and confidentiality, some detrimental impacts may occur. Thus, we aimed at codifying an ethical guideline for hospital-media relationship in Iran to maintain a proper and ethical relationship by emphasizing on patients’ privacy and confidentiality. The study was performed using the qualitative approach in two phases. The current policies and relevant reports in the literature were reviewed and their contents were analyzed. Subsequently, the first draft of the guideline was codified which was followed by the second phase in which the draft was finalized by two focus groups. Finally, a draft of an ethical guideline consisting of 79 articles in 6 themes was developed including the general principles, work flow in hospital-media relationship, duties of hospital representative, physicians’ guide, media guide, and patients’ guide. The guideline focuses on patients’ privacy, confidentiality and the privacy of the healthcare system in mutual hospital-media relationships. It is suggested that by implementing the guideline, the patients’ right would be respected and the public trust to the healthcare system will be fostered.