What are the possible consequences of breaching patient confidentiality?

Breaching patient confidentiality can lead to significant consequences, which is why the first choice is the correct answer. When a healthcare provider discloses a patient's personal health information without consent, they can face potential civil lawsuits filed by the affected patient for damages resulting from the breach. Patients have a right to sue for violations of their privacy, and healthcare providers may be held financially liable for any harm caused.

Additionally, such breaches can result in disciplinary actions from professional boards or licensing bodies, which oversee the conduct of healthcare professionals. These actions can include reprimands, fines, or mandated corrective measures. In severe cases, a healthcare provider may face the loss of their professional license, which would prevent them from practicing in their field altogether.

Mandatory training on privacy laws is a proactive measure that organizations might implement to prevent confidentiality breaches, but it does not inherently arise from a breach itself, nor does it address the consequences for the individual who committed the breach. Immediate termination of employment could occur depending on the severity of the breach and the organization's policies, but it is not a universal consequence and may vary based on the circumstances. Increased patient trust is unlikely to result from a breach of confidentiality; in fact, such an incident typically erodes trust and damages the provider-patient relationship