TY - JOUR T1 - Confidentiality in the waiting room: an observational study in general practice JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 490 LP - 493 VL - 57 IS - 539 AU - Kate Scott AU - Jane V Dyas AU - Jo B Middlemass AU - A Niroshan Siriwardena Y1 - 2007/06/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/57/539/490.abstract N2 - An ethnographic study using overt non-participatory observation was used to investigate confidentiality breaches in 13 GP practice reception and/or waiting areas in Lincolnshire. Staff and patient behaviours were observed for 2 hours. Aspects of management systems and physical environment were also thematically analysed. Forty-four instances occurred where patient-identifiable information was overheard. Of these instances, 22 were initiated by staff, 22 by patients, 33 face-to-face, and 10 from telephone conversations. Breaches included name and address, symptoms, conditions, or test results. Interaction between systems and physical environment in relation to ‘attention focus’, ‘sound’ and ‘layout’, increased the likelihood of breach of confidentiality. Further research on the patient perspective is recommended. ER -