Although hospitals and staff have lost credibility in recent years, many other hospitals have contributed their share to the battle for patient privacy. “You may have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of health information that may be used to make decisions about your care,” Stanford Hospital says in its commitment to protecting patient privacy. Actions as such can bring prestige to the hospital and give the patient the feeling that they are in control of their information and that the hospital manages it only according to the patient's preferences. Additionally, Stanford Hospital ensures patient privacy by recognizing the following patient rights: Request for Change or Addition and Hospital Disclosure Accounting Forms. Additionally, Patients have the right to request restrictions on confidential communications. “You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures, which is a list that describes how we have shared your health information with outside parties.” (Stanford Hospital) By actions that simply enlighten the patient about what he can do if he feels his privacy is being violated, the patient can develop comfort and stop being a stranger to his own information. In most cases a patient may be too embarrassed to ask questions about their rights. Pauline Chen, MD, suggests that patients often feel "trapped" in communication patterns with their doctors. If the hospital takes the initiative to reach out to a patient and make them aware of their rights, then both parties (patient and hospital) are doing their part to establish a safe relationship. Another way that doctors can strengthen their credibility regarding their support for privacy is by publicizing that the... middle of paper... ...m between doctors and doctors. Overall, patient privacy has suffered due to rapid advances in technology. Everyday patients are at risk of their information being shared with others, which could lead to potential discrimination and shaming. Many medical facilities argue that in some cases disclosing patient information is necessary for the good of science, but the truth is that privacy violations are not justifiable for any cause. Patient privacy should be preserved at all costs because staff-patient relationships improve making a better working environment possible. Privacy protection ensures that the hospital maintains high standards and prestige among other hospitals. Finally, privacy opens the door to successful medical research. It will be a world of dissatisfied patients or user-friendly medical facilities??