Pros and cons of "anonymous" and "confidential" HIV testing

Clinics that provide health care must keep a unique, personal and ongoing record for each client so that new health information can be added and compared with earlier findings. The Public Health - Seattle & King County STD Clinic at Harborview offers two choices for obtaining HIV counseling & testing: anonymous registration or confidential registration. This information sheet further describes these two options to help you decide which to choose.

Anonymous testing

In this option, no personal identifying information is collected and you are registered under a unique code that you can re-create each time you visit the clinic.

Benefits of anonymous testing:

If you test HIV+ youcan not be reported as a case of HIV to public health staff at this time.
There is no official record of your being tested for HIV; thus, partners, insurance carriers, employers, landlords, the government, etc cannot ever obtain this information.

Drawbacks of anonymous testing:

Without your name and phone number, we will not be able to contact you. Thus, you might fail to learn of test results, about of new treatment or research opportunities, and we would not be able to remind you to return for visits.

Confidential testing

In this option, you provide Public Health with your name, address, and other relevant information. In Washington State, confidential records about HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, drug abuse, and mental illness are under stricter protections than other medical records, and are not released without your written permission. At the HIV/AIDS Program, confidential records are also kept under a special security system, using your mother's maiden name. Thus, even our laboratory will not know your real name or other identifying information.

Benefits of confidential testing:

This option allows us to contact you, if necessary. This could ensure that you 1) get important lab test results, 2) are reminded to return for your next vaccine dose, 3) are notified about new tests, treatments, research, and other opportunities.
If you need your name to be on your test result (e.g., for travel or court-ordered testing), this is the only option.

Drawbacks of confidential testing:

If you should test HIV+, state regulations require that we report your HIV infection to WA State Department of Health. The Department of Health utilizes this information to monitor HIV disease in WA State. The confidentiality of HIV testing records is strongly protected by law. Penalties for violations of the law are severe. Your HIV status is not released to your insurance company, employers, or anyone else without your permission.
Although we have never been forced to release medical information to others without patient permission, there is a slight chance that we could be forced to release information about you in a legal proceeding, potentially causing you harm.