TÜRKİYE’DE SAĞLIK HİZMETLERİNDE KİŞİSEL VERİLERİN KORUNMASI
PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA IN HEALTH SERVICES IN TURKEY

Summary/Abstract: This study aims to analyze the legal developments, practical challenges, and international comparisons regarding the protection of personal data within the scope of healthcare services in Turkey. Personal health data contain highly sensitive information about an individual's physical and mental health status, and protecting these data is of great importance in terms of both personal privacy and patient rights. The legal framework in Turkey has been shaped by the 2010 constitutional amendment and the Law on the Protection of Personal Data (No. 6698) enacted in 2016. However, various implementation issues persist, such as insufficient awareness among healthcare professionals, technical vulnerabilities in hospital information systems, and ambiguities in the informed consent process. This study examines the historical development of the legal framework in Turkey, including the provisions of the KVKK concerning health data, secondary legislation, and digital systems such as e-Nabız. Furthermore, international regulations such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the United States’ Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as well as country-specific practices in Germany and the United Kingdom, are analyzed in a comparative context. Based on the findings, legal, technical, and educational policy recommendations are presented for the Turkish context. In conclusion, protecting personal data in healthcare is a multidimensional issue that requires not only regulatory frameworks but also internal auditing mechanisms, technical infrastructure, patient awareness, and ethical sensitivity among healthcare professionals.

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