Which value addresses patient privacy and confidential information?

• A. Advocacy
• B. Respect
• C. Confidentiality
• D. Professionalism

Answer: (C)

Protecting patient privacy means keeping information shared in care private and only letting those who need to know access it. This value—confidentiality—directly addresses how personal health information is handled, stored, and shared. In interpreting, you’re often relaying details between patient and provider, so you must avoid disclosing anything about a patient’s health, identity, or treatment to unauthorized people, and you should use private spaces and secure methods for communication and records. Understanding and following privacy policies, including laws like HIPAA, helps safeguard what patients reveal and supports their trust in the care team.

Advocacy is about supporting patients’ rights and choices, and respect is about treating people with dignity and courtesy. Professionalism covers appropriate conduct overall, of which confidentiality is a crucial part. But confidentiality is the term that specifically addresses keeping patient information private and protecting it from disclosure.