Final answer:
Policies regarding the use and disclosure of health information about employees are usually managed by human resources and are shaped by laws like HIPAA and GINA, which ensure the protection and confidentiality of patient records and genetic information to prevent misuse and discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Policies that govern the use and disclosure of health information about employees typically reside with the human resources department and are informed by various legal and ethical considerations. A key piece of legislation involved is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA),
which sets standards for the protection of patient information and dictates how businesses such as insurance companies and healthcare providers must maintain the confidentiality of these records.
When developing policies that handle the delicate balance between treatment costs, patient quality of life, and privacy risks, questions like who controls a person's genetic information, what legal safeguards ensure privacy, and how ethical concerns play into the disclosure of patient information must be addressed.
For example, the disclosure to sexual partners in the case of sexually transmitted diseases raises complex ethical and legal questions under HIPAA.
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) specifically protects against discrimination in health insurance and employment based on genetic data. However, medical records are still subject to privacy protections and are a reasonable exception to the Freedom of Information Act, aiming to safeguard individuals from having their health information improperly disclosed or utilized against them.