What practice best protects patient confidentiality in research or clinical practice?

• A. Share patient data with third parties without consent.
• B. Post patient identifiers in public dashboards.
• C. Keep data only on a personal device.
• D. Protect patient information, limit access to authorized personnel, de-identify data when possible.

Answer: (D)

Protecting patient confidentiality rests on guarding information, restricting access to those who need it, and removing identifying details whenever possible. The best practice combines these elements: safeguard the data, limit who can view it to authorized personnel, and de-identify data when feasible to reduce the risk of disclosure. This approach aligns with ethical duties and privacy regulations. In contrast, sharing data with third parties without consent, posting patient identifiers publicly, or leaving data only on a personal device all undermine confidentiality and increase the chance of exposure or misuse. Practical safeguards like secure storage, encryption, and audit trails support this core idea, but the central goal is to protect information, control access, and de-identify data when possible.