Final answer:
Failing to properly identify the patient before an exam could lead to a violation of the Patient's Bill of Rights and potentially a HIPAA violation, as both require strict maintenance of patient confidentiality and accurate patient identification.
Step-by-step explanation:
Failing to properly identify the patient before an exam could put the radiographer in violation of the Patient's Bill of Rights and Patient Care Partnership, which includes the principle of respect for individuals and their rights to confidentiality. This includes making accurate patient identifications to ensure privacy and security of the patient's health information. Violating this could potentially overlap with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) violations, which set strict standards for the protection of patient information and mandate that healthcare providers maintain the confidentiality of patient records.
HIPAA aims to prevent unauthorized, nonconsensual release of individually identifiable health information to entities not directly involved in the care of the patient. Contacting individuals based on information gained from a patient without that patient's consent would likely be a HIPAA violation unless allowed by public health exceptions. Radiographers and other healthcare professionals must always verify patient identity to ensure they are complying with legal and ethical obligations.