California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants (CCBMA) Practice Test

Question: 1 / 400

A medical assistant discusses a patient's name at lunch with others in the building. What could the M.A. be charged with?

Assault

Invasion of privacy

The correct answer is invasion of privacy. In the context of healthcare, patient confidentiality is a critical concern governed by laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Discussing a patient's name and potentially other details in a public or semi-public setting, like a lunch break, constitutes a breach of that confidentiality and can lead to legal consequences.

By sharing the patient's information without their consent, the medical assistant has invaded the patient's privacy rights. This violation can expose the practice to liability and demonstrate a failure to uphold the ethical and legal standards required in the medical profession. The emphasis here is on the protection of patient information and the recognition that patient data should only be shared in appropriate, secure environments and with authorized individuals.

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Negligence

Breach of contract

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