Which principle ensures that medical professionals keep patient details private?

The principle that ensures medical professionals keep patient details private is confidentiality. This concept is foundational in healthcare, as it protects the patient's right to privacy regarding their medical information. Confidentiality establishes a trust-based relationship between patients and healthcare providers, allowing individuals to feel secure in sharing sensitive information without fear of it being disclosed without their permission.

Medical professionals are ethically and often legally bound to uphold confidentiality, which means they must not share patient details with unauthorized individuals, ensuring that personal data is managed responsibly. Breaching confidentiality can lead to severe consequences, including legal repercussions and damage to the patient-provider relationship, underscoring the importance of this principle in healthcare practice.

This principle contrasts with concepts like consent, which relates to the permission granted by patients for treatment or for sharing relevant information, accountability, which refers to the responsibility healthcare providers have for their actions, and disclosure, which involves sharing information rather than safeguarding it. Therefore, confidentiality specifically highlights the obligation to maintain patient privacy.