How can a healthcare provider protect the privacy of a patient who has declined inclusion in the facility directory?

The correct approach to protect the privacy of a patient who has opted out of the facility directory is to confirm the patient's preferences before disclosing any information about their presence in the facility. This ensures that the healthcare provider respects the patient's wishes and rights regarding their privacy and confidentiality. By verifying the patient's preferences, the provider adheres to regulatory standards and ethical obligations to safeguard personal health information.

Allowing anyone to request information can lead to unauthorized disclosures and compromises patient confidentiality, while restricting all access may not be practical and could impede communication. Automatically including all patients disregards individual privacy choices and can lead to potential violations of patient rights. Thus, confirming preferences aligns with HIPAA guidelines, which mandate that patients have control over who accesses their health information.