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{{WBRQuestion
{{WBRQuestion
|QuestionAuthor={{VB}}
|QuestionAuthor={{VB}} (Reviewed by Will Gibson)
|ExamType=USMLE Step 1
|ExamType=USMLE Step 1
|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
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|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
|SubCategory=General Principles
|SubCategory=General Principles
|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
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|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
|MainCategory=Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
|SubCategory=General Principles
|SubCategory=General Principles
|Prompt=The patient has an absolute right to his privacy. It’s a physician’s duty to respect this privacy and not share it with anyone, whether it be patients family, colleagues or some random person. This is known as the principle of confidentiality. In which of the following cases is a physician legally bound to overlook this principle?
|Prompt=The patient has an absolute right to his privacy. It’s a physician’s duty to respect this privacy and not share health information with anyone, including patient's family, colleagues or other parties. This is known as the principle of confidentiality. In which of the following cases is a physician legally bound to overlook this principle?
|Explanation=A physician is bound ethically and legally to maintain patient information confidentiality. He is not supposed to discuss this information with anyone, unless specifically requested by the patient. General principles for exceptions to Confidentiality:
|Explanation=A physician is bound ethically and legally to maintain patient information confidentiality. He is not supposed to discuss this information with anyone, unless specifically requested by the patient. General principles for exceptions to Confidentiality are:
ƒƒ* Potential physical harm to others is serious and imminent<br>
ƒƒ* Potential physical harm to others is serious and imminent<br>
ƒƒ* Likelihood of harm to self is great<br>
ƒƒ* Likelihood of harm to self is great<br>
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In the scenarios mentioned above, the patient diagnosed with HIV needs to inform his girlfriend about his condition. If not it is physicians duty to inform her to prevent harm.
In the scenarios mentioned above, the patient diagnosed with HIV needs to inform his girlfriend about his condition. If not it is physicians duty to inform her to prevent harm.
|AnswerA=Spouse of a cancer patient is extremely worried about his health and wants to know about the illness, so that she can support him emotionally.
|AnswerA=Spouse of a cancer patient is extremely worried about his health and wants to know about the illness so that she can support him emotionally.
|AnswerAExp=A patient has full right to confidentiality of his information. Although the spouse means well, even so it will be unethical to divulge information with seeking consent from him first.
|AnswerAExp=A patient has full right to confidentiality of his information. Although the spouse means well, it will be unethical to divulge information with seeking consent from the patient first.
|AnswerB=An employee has been absent from work for about 2 weeks and the employer calls the physician threatening him that his patient might lose the job, unless he is told about the specific nature of the job.
|AnswerB=An employee has been absent from work for about 2 weeks and the employer calls the physician threatening him that his patient might lose the job unless he is told about the specific nature of the diagnosis.
|AnswerBExp=A physician must not give any details about a patient without his prior consent. Even confirming that the patient is undergoing treatment or admitted to the hospital is unethical. However, if a patient has authorized the same the physician can provide desired information.
|AnswerBExp=A physician must not give any details about a patient without his prior consent. Even confirming that the patient is undergoing treatment or admitted to the hospital is unethical. However, if a patient has authorized outside parities to be informed, the physician can provide the desired information.
|AnswerC=A colleague asks about his 17 year old son, who tested positive for syphilis.
|AnswerC=A colleague asks about his 17 year old son, who tested positive for syphilis.
|AnswerCExp=A minor cannot make medical decisions except in cases of sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, pregnancy, drug addictions and trauma/emergency. In this situation the teenager can choose to withheld information from his parents.
|AnswerCExp=A minor cannot make medical decisions except in cases of sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, pregnancy, drug addictions and trauma/emergency. In this situation the teenager can choose to withhold information from his parents.
|AnswerD=State police wants to gather a person’s medical records, who is convicted of rape.
|AnswerD=State police wants to gather a person’s medical records, who is convicted of rape.
|AnswerDExp=Right to confidentiality holds true even in this case. A valid warrant is needed for a physician to divulge patient information.
|AnswerDExp=The right to confidentiality holds true even in this case. A valid warrant is needed for a physician to divulge patient information.
|AnswerE=A patient who recently tested positive for HIV requests you not to reveal this information to his new girlfriend.
|AnswerE=A patient who recently tested positive for HIV asks you not to reveal this information to his new girlfriend.
|AnswerEExp=The patient needs to tell all him sexual partners about his present condition as this is a sexually transmitted condition. A doctor is legally bound to convey this information, if the patient refuses to do so.
|AnswerEExp=The patient needs to tell all his sexual partners about his diagnosis as this is a sexually transmitted condition. In order to protect others, a physician is legally bound to convey this information to at-risk parties if the patient refuses to do so.
|EducationalObjectives=A physician is bound ethically and legally to maintain patient information confidentiality. There are a few important considerations in which cases, the physician may share patient information.
|EducationalObjectives=A physician is bound ethically and legally to maintain patient information confidentiality. There are a few important cases in which the physician may share patient information.
|References=First Aid STEP1 2014 Page 59,60
|References=First Aid 2014 Page 59,60
|RightAnswer=E
|RightAnswer=E
|WBRKeyword=Ethics, Behavioral Science, Patient Privacy, Privacy, Confidentiality, HIV, Sexually transmitted disease, STD, STI, Sexually transmitted infection,
|Approved=Yes
|Approved=Yes
}}
}}

Revision as of 19:07, 18 April 2015

 
Author [[PageAuthor::Vidit Bhargava, M.B.B.S [1] (Reviewed by Will Gibson)]]
Exam Type ExamType::USMLE Step 1
Main Category MainCategory::Behavioral Science/Psychiatry
Sub Category SubCategory::General Principles
Prompt [[Prompt::The patient has an absolute right to his privacy. It’s a physician’s duty to respect this privacy and not share health information with anyone, including patient's family, colleagues or other parties. This is known as the principle of confidentiality. In which of the following cases is a physician legally bound to overlook this principle?]]
Answer A AnswerA::Spouse of a cancer patient is extremely worried about his health and wants to know about the illness so that she can support him emotionally.
Answer A Explanation AnswerAExp::A patient has full right to confidentiality of his information. Although the spouse means well, it will be unethical to divulge information with seeking consent from the patient first.
Answer B AnswerB::An employee has been absent from work for about 2 weeks and the employer calls the physician threatening him that his patient might lose the job unless he is told about the specific nature of the diagnosis.
Answer B Explanation [[AnswerBExp::A physician must not give any details about a patient without his prior consent. Even confirming that the patient is undergoing treatment or admitted to the hospital is unethical. However, if a patient has authorized outside parities to be informed, the physician can provide the desired information.]]
Answer C AnswerC::A colleague asks about his 17 year old son, who tested positive for syphilis.
Answer C Explanation AnswerCExp::A minor cannot make medical decisions except in cases of sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, pregnancy, drug addictions and trauma/emergency. In this situation the teenager can choose to withhold information from his parents.
Answer D AnswerD::State police wants to gather a person’s medical records, who is convicted of rape.
Answer D Explanation AnswerDExp::The right to confidentiality holds true even in this case. A valid warrant is needed for a physician to divulge patient information.
Answer E AnswerE::A patient who recently tested positive for HIV asks you not to reveal this information to his new girlfriend.
Answer E Explanation [[AnswerEExp::The patient needs to tell all his sexual partners about his diagnosis as this is a sexually transmitted condition. In order to protect others, a physician is legally bound to convey this information to at-risk parties if the patient refuses to do so.]]
Right Answer RightAnswer::E
Explanation [[Explanation::A physician is bound ethically and legally to maintain patient information confidentiality. He is not supposed to discuss this information with anyone, unless specifically requested by the patient. General principles for exceptions to Confidentiality are:

ƒƒ* Potential physical harm to others is serious and imminent
ƒƒ* Likelihood of harm to self is great
ƒƒ* No alternative means exists to warn or to protect those at risk
ƒƒ* Physicians can take steps to prevent harm

In the scenarios mentioned above, the patient diagnosed with HIV needs to inform his girlfriend about his condition. If not it is physicians duty to inform her to prevent harm.
Educational Objective: A physician is bound ethically and legally to maintain patient information confidentiality. There are a few important cases in which the physician may share patient information.
References: First Aid 2014 Page 59,60]]

Approved Approved::Yes
Keyword WBRKeyword::Ethics, WBRKeyword::Behavioral Science, WBRKeyword::Patient Privacy, WBRKeyword::Privacy, WBRKeyword::Confidentiality, WBRKeyword::HIV, WBRKeyword::Sexually transmitted disease, WBRKeyword::STD, WBRKeyword::STI, WBRKeyword::Sexually transmitted infection
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Order in Linked Questions LinkedOrder::