Final answer:
A patient who feels their privacy has been violated should be instructed to file a complaint with the Department of Health and Human Services, specifically to the Office for Civil Rights, which is the correct governmental agency for handling such complaints.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a patient feels their privacy has been violated and wants to file a formal complaint regarding healthcare privacy issues, the patient should typically be directed to file a complaint with a governmental agency like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), specifically to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). This agency is responsible for enforcing health privacy laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Complaints can often be filed online through the HHS website. While options such as the Joint Commission or State Board of Nursing might handle complaints related to overall quality of care or nursing practice, respectively, they are not the primary agencies for privacy concerns. Hospital Administration can deal with internal issues or may assist with the process of filing with the correct agency, but the OCR is the direct channel for privacy complaints. The Local Police Department would typically not be involved unless there were criminal actions, such as theft or assault, associated with the privacy violation. It's important for healthcare providers to be aware of the correct procedures for addressing privacy complaints to ensure that they are handled appropriately and efficiently.