Professional Practice
Glossary
Health Information Professional Code of Ethics
Competence
The ability to practice adequately with a subject with sufficiency of knowledge, training, and qualification to do so.
Confidentiality
The obligation to protect information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, loss, or theft.
Dignity
The right of a person to be valued for their own sake.
Inequities
Disparities between populations or individuals that are considered to be unfair and unjust. Unjust disparities can be reflected in outcomes (e.g., health outcomes), access to care or information, resources, and opportunities to be healthy. Inequities may also refer to unjust treatment (e.g., discrimination) or unjust decision-making processes (e.g., failure to be consulted on matters in which one has a stake).
Integrity
Practicing in a way that is honest, sincere, and above self-interest, demonstrating consistency between one’s intentions and actions, always in alignment with professional expectations and standards.
Interests
One’s stake in how things go (e.g., business interests, personal interests).
Privacy
The right of persons to control their personal information.
Professionalism
The embodiment and enactment of the responsibilities stemming from the values, standards, and norms of one’s profession.
Quality (data)
How well data, or a dataset, meets criteria for validity, accuracy, and fitness for purpose.
Security
The safeguards taken to protect data and data systems from unauthorized access.
Transparency
Operating with openness, honesty, and clarity, ensuring that actions, decisions, and information are readily accessible and understandable to those affected.
Trust
Belief in the reliability of another.
Trustworthiness
The capacity to be relied on as honest.
Welfare
The state of being healthy, happy, and prosperous.
Worth
The fundamental intrinsic value of a person, irrespective of their abilities or usefulness.
