What is doctor-patient confidentiality?
There are national bodies that monitor doctors' conduct ('professionalism'). If a patient voices concerns that a doctor has breached confidentiality, the claim is investigated and if the doctor is found guilty they are sanctioned and in serious cases they may lose their license to practice. This is a strong deterrent of willfully breaching confidentiality. It also applies to medical students.There are, however, cases where doctors are obligated to breach confidentiality – usually when there is a significant public safety interest. For example:if the patient's health conditions affects their ability to drive (eg. diabetes, seizures or visual problems) and he or she is not willing to notify authorities or doesn't stop driving despite medical advice the doctor must notify authorities (DVLA in UK)they have certain infectionsin case of HIV the doctor can also notify any partners even against the patient's willif the patient has or is planning to commit a serious crime (eg. kidnapping or abuse of children or other vulnerable people, rape, murder, manslaughter)when reporting certain adverse drug reactionsIt is worth noting that in these circumstances only relevant information is disclosed. In some cases access may be granted to police holding a court order or to a legal representative of a person who lacks capacity to consent. Parents do not automatically have access to their children's health records and if the child is Gillick competent the child can refuse to allow the doctor to inform the parents.Doctors do discuss cases with other doctors, health care professionals and students but everything is anonymized (name, age, gender etc) to make it very difficult to identify who they are talking about - unless these people are directly participating in the care of the patient and the information is crucial for the management ie it is in the patient's best interest to disclose the information.
Up to what extent is doctor-patient confidentiality followed?
Doctors aren't supposed to give information for educational purposes unless you have signed something giving them consent to do so.Family members are not supposed to be told your condition or medical information unless you have given the staff or doctor permission to do so but you are also supposed to specify names of family or friends who are allowed to receive that info. Even clinics are only supposed to release information to the people you have specified for them to do so. If u don't give them any names to share info with then they are not allowed to. In an emergency, for example, they will tell a spouse, a parent, or a child of the patient what is going on with the patient IF there's no one else to tell that has already been written down by the patient. Also, a spouse or parent is usually automatically assumed the person to give info to in an emergency. Also, an adult son or daughter of patient will be told info if the patient doesn't have a spouse or someone else designated to receive the info. EtcSo it really just depends but no, usually they only tell one designated family member or friend that you have specifically given them permission to tell.Police depts don't need the information usually unless its a murder case or death directly involving them for them to solve, etc basically something like that.Believe me, your information is not supposed to be passed around to people just because they know u, etc or to education centers just because they want to know. If information is given to education purposes, you are to remain anonymous.Most places hve papers you sign before you receive treatment, stating that you agree that they will not share your info for educational or marketing purposes etc.So if you think someone has breached your confidentiality, find out and do something about it because I promise you that most people aren't allowed to know.Other healthcare professionals aren't even supposed to know your business nless they will be directly involved in giving you care, such as they will be your nurse or doctor that day and taking care of you.
Do paramedics have to keep patient confidentiality?
Yes, we are bound by a code of ethics which includes patient confidentiality. The only people we share your information with without either your consent or a court order is other health care providers involved in your care. So when I arrive at the hospital with you, obviously I tell the nurses and docs in the ER everything I know because they need to know to provide care. But if some bystander outside wants to know, obviously I'm not sharing anything with them.
Doctor Patient confidentiality? Self harm?
Hey, so i was wondering. I really dont like going to the doctors because im always afraid that they are going to find my self harm scars. I was wondering, if they find the scars can they tell my parents? or do something about it? My parents know i cut myself once but they dont know that ive been cutting for over a year, but im stopping. so now i just have scars i guess. I dont want my parents to know because they mock me about it.. So if i do go to the doctors are they allowed to tell my parents if they find them?
Does doctor-patient confidentiality go both ways?
i don't think that's the case either. The patient is allowed to discuss what his doctor shares with him/her about the diagnosis, treatment plan etc with anyone he/she wants to. Although the doctor is not allowed to reveal the identity of his patient in any discussion.
Do you have patient doctor confidentiality with paramedics?
Anything a health care professional learns about a patient in the course of carrying out their professional duties is considered confidential and can not be shared with people who do not have the patients consent to hear the information. This would certainly include something learned in a conversation with another health care professional such as a discussion with a paramedic. Of course health care professionals can and do exchange information with each other when they need to do so to care for a particular patient ( so for example obviously information can be exchanged between a doctor and a paramedic when they are involved in caring for a patient together. This would not be covered by patient confidentiality.
Is it still breach of patient’s confidentiality if a patient’s relative deduced the information by doing twenty questions and read the doctor’s face?
I suppose it depends upon the motivation here. If I were to sit down with a patient’s family and allow them to question me then allowed them to infer confidential patient information based upon my body language then YES… it is a breach in my opinion. If however, I walk into a family room after a long and unsuccessful resuscitation and they infer from the look on my face that their family member has died I don’t think this is a breach.But, this question sounds more like you are asking “if you wanted to tell some family information that a patient wants to keep confidential could you be legally covered by an elaborate game of guess what I’m thinking?”. The answer to that question in my mind is no. I don’t think you can do that. But, why would you? I can’t recall a circumstance where I have disagreed with a patient’s decision to remain silent or exclude others from their private information. There have been times however when I have urged them to be forthcoming with family or allow me to which has virtually always happened. The upfront conversation always seems to be best. I wouldn’t really want to see a health care provider that would play passive aggressive games with my confidentiality.
At what point can a doctor break a Doctor Patient Confidentiality?
On many-many occasions:Doctors have a duty to breach patient confidentiality to protect others if patient has highly communicable disease, or HIVIf doctor becomes aware that patient is planning on killing someoneIf doctor believes that patient is about to commit suicide.If there is a suspicion of child abuse, doctor has no choice but report to the authorities. It is mandatory.Doctor may chose to request DMV to suspend her patient’s driving licence if patient is clearly impaired and insists on driving motor-vehicle. (NY state)Doctor may choose to file a SAFE report ( in NY State) if patient is too dangerous to posses guns.Doctor may choose to inform DEA office if there is suspicioun that patient diverts controlled medication.In case if doctor’s records get subpoenaedIf doctor asked to testify in courtPatient’s insurance has access the recordsIf patient is incapacitated and unable to consent and doctor needs to obtain an information that is crucial to the treatment outcome, he may contact patient’s family without patient’s consent.There are possible some other occasions when it is happening, it also varies from state to state in US.
Question about confidentiality between patient and therapist/psychiatrist...?
This differs from state to state, but generally, there are a few circumstances in which they can break confidentiality. If you make a serious threat to attempt suicide or a serious threat to severely injury someone else. If you are a child or know of a child who has been abused or is being abused. And if you are an elderly person who has been abused or is being abused. They may also break confidentiality if you are using drugs to the point that you could be imminently endangering your life. So, no, they can't report you for drug use, unless you are court-ordered to attend counseling or you have signed a release saying it is okay for them to tell. I had patients telling me about their small crime sprees and I couldn't tell anyone. Now, if you are under 18, the rules change. They may be allowed to tell parents this information based upon state laws.
What are key exceptions to doctor-patient confidentiality?
There’s a huge amount of text on this at: GMC | GuidanceBoiled down:64. If it is not practicable to seek consent, and in exceptional cases where a patient has refused consent, disclosing personal information may be justified in the public interest if failure to do so may expose others to a risk of death or serious harm. The benefits to an individual or to society of the disclosure must outweigh both the patient’s and the public interest in keeping the information confidential.68. If you consider that failure to disclose the information would leave individuals or society exposed to a risk so serious that it outweighs the patient's and the public interest in maintaining confidentiality, you should disclose relevant information promptly to an appropriate person or authority. You should inform the patient before disclosing the information, if it is practicable and safe to do so, even if you intend to disclose without their consent.I seem to recall from student days that treason or murder were the key triggers but a lot has changed over the years.