An Analysis of the Behavior of Tertiary Care Hospital Employee in ensuring the Confidentiality of Patient Records

대학병원 직원의 환자정보보호행동 분석

Ensuring the confidentiality of patient records is critical requirement for quality of care and in fulfilling legal obligation of healthcare organizations. This study analyzed the behavior of hospital employees who are dealing with confidential patient information in a hospital. Theory of Planned Behavior(TPB) model and TPB expanded models that add habit concept to TPB are tested for the validity in explaining the predisposing factors that affect the behavior of hospital employee in ensuring the confidentiality of patient records. Data were collected by administrating a survey to the 350 employee of a tertiary care hospital. Of the 350 questionaries distributed, 321 were responded resulting 92% of response rate. The mean differences among the groups classified by age, years of experience, gender, and occupation were analysis using ANOVA. The relationships among the concepts suggested in the models were analysed by applying the Structural Equations Modeling method. The results of ANOVA indicated significant mean differences in the frequency of confidentiality ensuing behavior. Administrative staff and medical technicians show higher frequency of ensuing behavior compared to the physicians and the nurses. And more experienced employee show more confidentiality ensuring behavior. The results of Structural Equations analysis showed that the strong effect of habit and attitude in predicting the behavior. However, the effect of perceived behavioral control was not significant. Based on the results the theoretical and practical implications are discussed.