What is the difference between confidential and anonymous testing?
All medical care should be confidential. This means that the information you discuss with your health care providers must stay in your files at the clinic and not be released to anyone without your permission. Anonymous testing is when your name is not associated with the test or the results in any way. You may be given a number or code word to identify yourself during testing and when receiving results.
AIDS Community Health Center uses confidential testing, which uses your real name. This testing is presently provided free of charge. Your test results are kept confidential, which means that we cannot give those test results to anyone else unless you give us permission in writing. Anonymous testing is done only by the state health department and does not use your name when you are tested. Instead of a name, the health department uses a number or code to identify you. For more information on anonymous testing, call the NY State Health Department at 585–423–8081.
Confidential testing involves an identifiable record of your test results. At a confidential test site, people can directly refer you for services if you test HIV positive. Anonymous testing involves no identifiable record of your test results. Your anonymity is protected, but you do not get follow-up counseling if you test HIV positive.
Confidential Test: The information and test results are medical records. TKNO does not relinquish any of your personal identifying information to anyone or any entity at any time for any reason. We will collect your date of birth, last 4 digits of social security number, and full name and address. Anonymous Test: You are completely anonymous. We only use whatever “name” you would like us to use. It can be a nickname, first name, John or Jane Doe or whatever name you choose. We do not collect any other personal identifying information unless it is necessary to carry out your test, e.g., phone number for our testers to contact you or the address where you would like to be tested. This anonymous service costs an extra $50.
