A report from a disease registry necessitates de-identification of patient names. What principle applies here?

The principle that applies to the de-identification of patient names for a report from a disease registry is the responsibility of the health data steward. This principle emphasizes the role of health data stewards in ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of patient information. Health data stewards oversee the management and protection of health information, making certain that personal identifiers are removed or obscured when sharing data for various purposes, such as research or reporting.

This aligns with the legal and ethical obligations healthcare organizations have in safeguarding sensitive patient information. De-identification is a critical process that helps maintain patient privacy while allowing valuable health data to be utilized for analysis and public health reporting. The obligation to ensure data is managed responsibly falls squarely on the health data steward, who must implement and enforce policies regarding data handling and privacy.

Understanding the responsibilities of health data stewards is essential in the context of health information management, as it underscores the balance between the need for data access for meaningful use and the imperative of maintaining patient confidentiality.