HIPAA: Co to je a proč to v psychoterapii v Česku neplatí

When you hear HIPAA, Americký zákon o přenosu a odpovědnosti zdravotních pojištění, který stanovuje pravidla pro ochranu zdravotních údajů. Also known as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, it is often mentioned in therapy contexts—but it does not apply in the Czech Republic. Many people assume that if a therapist talks about confidentiality, they’re following HIPAA. But in Czechia, that’s not the case. Here, your privacy is protected by the zákon o ochraně osobních údajů (GDPR) and the specific rules for healthcare professionals under the Czech Health Services Act. These laws are just as strict, but they’re not American. And confusing them can lead to real misunderstandings about your rights.

Therapists in the Czech Republic don’t need to cite HIPAA because it has no legal force here. Instead, they follow the zákonná povinnost tajemství, právní povinnost odborníků zachovávat důvěrnost o všech informacích získaných při terapii. This means your sessions are confidential—no exceptions unless you’re a danger to yourself or others. Your therapist can’t share notes with your doctor, employer, or even your partner without your written consent. And unlike in some U.S. systems, there’s no insurance company snooping into your therapy records. The Czech system is simpler: your data belongs to you. Only you decide who sees it.

Why does this confusion even exist? Because many therapists in the Czech Republic have studied abroad, read American books, or watched U.S. TV shows where HIPAA is constantly mentioned. They might say, “We follow HIPAA,” just to make clients feel safe. But technically, they’re wrong. And that’s not just semantics—it matters. If you’re worried about data leaks, you should ask: “Jaký zákon chrání mé údaje v Česku?” not “Platí tady HIPAA?” The real answer is: GDPR, Evropský nařízení o ochraně osobních údajů, které platí ve všech členských státech EU, včetně ČR. It gives you the right to access your records, delete them, or know who’s seen them. And therapists here are legally required to store your data securely, encrypt emails, and never leave files on unsecured devices.

What you really need to know: if your therapist says they follow HIPAA, they’re using a foreign term to explain a local rule. It’s not dishonest—it’s just lazy translation. But you should still ask: “Jak ukládáte mé záznamy?” or “Můžu si přečíst své terapeutické záznamy?” If they hesitate, that’s a red flag. Good therapists in Czechia will gladly explain their data policy. They’ll tell you how long they keep records (usually 10 years after therapy ends), how they destroy them, and what happens if a server crashes. That’s the real standard—not a U.S. law.

Below, you’ll find articles that explain how therapy works here—how confidentiality really functions, what to expect when you start, and how to protect your privacy in a system that’s designed to keep you safe, not confuse you with foreign jargon. You don’t need to understand HIPAA to feel secure. You just need to know your rights under Czech law—and that’s exactly what these posts will help you do.