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Children select a playmate they call their “best friend,” a person whom they share snacks, toys, and troublemaking ideas with because he or she likes the same things. Growing up, adults maintain a similar relationship on a personal level, and sometimes in their office spaces. Ideally, only a best friend is aware of the most intimate information about a person. Unknowingly, adults actually maintain a “best friend” type of relationship with one other professional: their doctor.
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Doctor-patient confidentiality is a legal practice that binds a physician to his patient. Under this concept, a doctor cannot reveal the details of his discussions with patients or test results to anyone other than the patient. Specifically, this prevents the doctor from providing information to law enforcement, and ensures that any information obtained during consultations cannot be used against the patient in the court of law. Originally designed to protect the patient’s rights, the confidentiality law has sometimes impeded legal proceedings. Only underage patients are exempt from this privilege, as doctors are required by law to inform parents of any life-threatening illnesses an underage patient might have, and are likewise required to obtain the parents’ permission before administering most types of treatment.
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Recently, the Health and Human Services has strengthened patient privacy protection by expanding individual rights and limiting federal capacities. Under the new rules, doctors now must assume the “worst case scenario” for any incident involving confidentiality breach and report it immediately, even before notifying the patient or the patient’s parents.
For utmost doctor-patient privacy protection, TSI Healthcare maintains Electronic Health Records. See the developments on this website.
