The legal term used to describe when a patient has the right to maintain control over certain personal information is referred to as:

The term that describes when a patient maintains control over certain personal information is "privacy." This concept is fundamental in healthcare settings, as it underscores the ethical and legal obligations to respect an individual's rights regarding their own health information. Privacy allows patients to determine how much of their personal health information is shared, with whom, and under what circumstances.

In healthcare practice, protecting patient privacy is crucial as it fosters trust between the patient and healthcare providers. It also aligns with various regulations and laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States, which emphasizes the necessity of safeguarding personal health information.

Other terms like access, confidentiality, and security, while related to the management of personal health information, do not fully encapsulate the notion of patients retaining control over their information. Access refers to a patient's ability to obtain their health records, confidentiality pertains to the obligation to keep information private, and security involves the technical safeguards that protect data from unauthorized access. None of these terms independently captures the concept of personal control that "privacy" does.