1) No, patient confidentiality is more important than the health professionals "duty to warn." If confidentiality is breached, it would create great mistrust between the professional and patient which in this case could result in unsuccessful therapy. The health professional should continue to encourage Brian P to tell his partner he is HIV positive. 2) The duty does not extend to cases like the present one because the health professional does should not warn his partner. 3) Dr. A should continue to encourage Brian P to tell his partner. He should offer helpful advice to him and weigh the pros and cons of telling his partner with him.
I agree that confidentiality between doctor and patient is important, and any information that is released by the doctor would show a lack of trust between the doctor and patient. However, I do feel if the situation can cause death or serious harm to someone else the doctor should inform the third party. It is a shame that doctor patient confidentiality would be broken, but ultimately that doctor could be saving someone else.
1) No, patient confidentiality is more important than the health professionals "duty to warn." If confidentiality is breached, it would create great mistrust between the professional and patient which in this case could result in unsuccessful therapy. The health professional should continue to encourage Brian P to tell his partner he is HIV positive.
ReplyDelete2) The duty does not extend to cases like the present one because the health professional does should not warn his partner.
3) Dr. A should continue to encourage Brian P to tell his partner. He should offer helpful advice to him and weigh the pros and cons of telling his partner with him.
I agree that confidentiality between doctor and patient is important, and any information that is released by the doctor would show a lack of trust between the doctor and patient. However, I do feel if the situation can cause death or serious harm to someone else the doctor should inform the third party.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that doctor patient confidentiality would be broken, but ultimately that doctor could be saving someone else.