The surgeon comes out to speak to a patient's family. He tells them that the patient came through the surgery fine. The mass was benign and they could see the patient in an hour. He talks low so that the other people in the waiting room will not hear but someone walked by and heard. This is called a(n)

Question

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This is an example of an incidental disclosure, where patient information is disclosed unintentionally and without malice. In this case, someone overheard the conversation despite the surgeon attempting to keep it private. It is not a privacy breach because there was no intentional release of information, nor is it a violation of policy unless the hospital has a specific policy relating to speaking with family members in public areas. It is also not a privacy incident as there was no breach of protected health information.

The Surgeon Comes Out to Speak to a Patient's Family