The Ministry of Health has introduced a new framework detailing when patient health information may be disclosed, reinforcing confidentiality while ensuring that cases requiring legal, social or public-health intervention are reported to the appropriate authorities.

Health Minister Dr Ahmed Al-Awadhi issued the decision regulating procedures for reporting patient cases and coordination between healthcare facilities and relevant government authorities. The rules apply to healthcare professionals and employees whose work involves confidential patient information.

The decision maintains that patient information must remain confidential and may not be disclosed except in specifically defined circumstances. These include situations involving a court or prosecution order, the prevention or reporting of a crime, certain communicable diseases, or disclosure based on the patient’s written consent, Al-Anba daily reports.

The framework also allows the necessary exchange of health information among medical teams, healthcare facility administrators, relatives or legal representatives when required for patient care or the performance of official responsibilities. Such information sharing must be limited to what is necessary for the purpose.

Special reporting provisions cover cases involving child abuse and neglect, violence or neglect involving elderly people, deaths requiring notification of authorities, newborns of unknown parentage or lineage, and long-term patients who can no longer remain in healthcare facilities but cannot be discharged into appropriate care.

The rules also address patients with disabilities who require services from the Public Authority for Disability Affairs, specified communicable diseases, health information relating to pilgrims, and cases handled by the Medical Committee of the Public Institution for Social Security.

The framework establishes coordination mechanisms with six relevant entities, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior, the Public Authority for Disability Affairs, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Kuwaiti Hajj mission and the Medical Committee of the Public Institution for Social Security. Each authority is responsible for cases falling within its legal jurisdiction.

For example, the Ministry of Interior will be involved in cases requiring security or legal action, identity verification, residency or nationality procedures, cases involving unknown identity or parentage, certain communicable diseases and medical reports for prisoners seeking medical release. The Ministry of Social Affairs will handle cases involving elderly people, long-term patients and other situations requiring care, shelter or social protection.

Healthcare facilities must prepare written reports containing only the information necessary to process each case. Reports must include the patient’s or deceased person’s relevant details, a summary of their health, social and legal status, the reason for reporting, required action, supporting documents and the contact details of the staff member responsible for follow-up.

The ministry stressed that confidentiality remains essential even when information is reported. Disclosure must be limited to what is necessary to achieve the purpose of the report. Cases requiring notification must be reported immediately through approved official channels, followed by a documented written report.

Importantly, reporting a case does not mean that medical care should stop or that an urgent medical procedure should be delayed. The framework requires healthcare facilities to continue providing necessary treatment while completing the required reporting and coordination procedures.

Healthcare facilities must also maintain a dedicated record of correspondence, procedures and responses relating to reported cases, with relevant documentation retained in the patient’s medical or administrative file. The new framework therefore establishes a clearer balance between protecting patient privacy and ensuring that health cases requiring legal, social or public-health intervention are addressed without delay.