patient confidentiality

Introduction

• physicians have an ethical & legal obligation to protect the privacy & confidentiality of patient medical information
• disclosure of medical information outside the patient-physician relationship requires patient consent
  • disclosing information without consent or patient knowledge violates confidentiality
• communication through electronic health records & patient portals is subject to the same principles of privacy & confidentiality

Notes

• physicians may be required to breach patient confidentiality in response to reportable events:
  • suspected child abuse
  • reportable infectious diseases
  • patients who are a threat to themselves or others
    • patients who a hazardous drivers

More general terms

• confidentiality
• professionalism