ARRT Patient Care Practice Exam

A radiographer who discloses confidential patient information to unauthorized individuals can be found guilty of:

1. libel

2. invasion of privacy

3. slander

4. defamation

The correct answer is: invasion of privacy

Disclosing confidential patient information to unauthorized individuals falls under the category of invasion of privacy. This legal concept protects an individual's right to keep their personal information private and ensures that sensitive information, especially in healthcare settings, is not shared without consent. When a radiographer reveals details about a patient’s health, medical history, or other private matters without that patient's permission, it constitutes an unauthorized intrusion into the patient’s private life, hence violating their right to privacy. The other options relate to aspects of communication about individuals. Libel refers specifically to defamation through written communication, while slander involves spoken communication that harms a person's reputation. Defamation is a broader category that includes both libel and slander but does not specifically focus on the privacy aspect that is critical in this scenario. Therefore, invasion of privacy is the most accurate legal concept that describes the act of disclosing confidential patient information to those who should not have access to it.