Portability and Accountability Act
Portability and Accountability Act
Violation of the confidentiality and privacy in group or individual psychotherapy may present some legal challenges. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule provides consumers with important privacy rights and protections with respect to their health information, including important controls over how their health information is used and disclosed by health plans and health care providers. Ensuring strong privacy protections is critical to maintaining individuals’ trust in their health care providers and willingness to obtain needed health care services. This also will help as a shield for the therapist in preventing unwanted legal issues.
According to (Wheeler, 2014), Peplau stressed the need for self-awareness in the nurse-patient relationship , and understanding one’s own functioning will determine the extent to which he/she can come to understand the situation confronting the patient and the way he/she sees it. Understanding the full bearing of these ethical and legal implications of psychotherapy together with self-awareness of the conditions will help me to approach therapy sessions with my clients with open mind and in a holistic manner. Treating a client with respect and dignity irrespective of their disease state, conveys caring and empathy and helps solidifies the clinician /patient relationship. This invariably leads to the client been more engaged in therapy which results in positive outcomes for the client. I will also be more inclined in group therapy in the sense that it gives me a clearer picture of the issue/situation. Having all the group members together gives the clinician a better opportunity of addressing the issue and reaching a resolution faster than in an individual therapy session.
