Patient Confidentiality versus disclosure for the better good

CONFIDENTIALITY ISSUES

The right to Release Certain Patient Information

John Q . Cipher

Utah Valley State College

Dr . Simon Gilmore

Psychology 4890

ABSTRACT

Confidentiality laws are meant for the privacy of the patients whether it be a doctor of medicine to a priest during confessions . It has been documented that there are times when these laws do more harm than good The patient may not like the idea of divulging what they deem as private and personal information but when it can save a person 's life or help

them attain vital knowledge to their own well being then do these same laws still affect the laws that bind or is there a technical loophole in which to work with so as not to violate any laws

Patient confidentiality is becoming more and stricter , while the need to sometimes ignore that confidentiality becomes more and more prevalent in today 's society . The laws that surround us regarding the patient 's right to keep his medical records quiet from all except his doctors can destroy a life and has the potential to hurt more people than necessary to some degree , even cause murder by proxy . Take the case of the 35 year old patient , admitted to the hospital for Aids related problems The patient is engaged and trying to get his fiancy pregnant . Doctors when faced with this dilemma have to abide by the laws that govern the patients right to privacy but where does one draw the line

This patient , assuming...