Sharing Patient Information with Family: Understanding Regulations & Rights

Patient confidentiality regulation is a complicated structure meant to protect the rights and privacy of those who are undergoing medical treatment. However, there are times when doctors can share information with relatives of the patient --- even without that patient's consent or, at times, against that patient's wishes. This should only be done with due consideration, bearing in mind the best interest of those involved.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask the patient if you may share the information. If a patient gives you consent, then you can share the information with the family members.

• 2

  Evaluate the information and see if the benefit of telling the family member or members outweighs the benefit to the patient and society for keeping the information privileged. In cases where it's a question of who needs to be served more, you have the right to share information with the patient's family.

• 3

  See if the information in question is genetic in nature. Genetic information may be shared with the family regardless of the patient's wants or desires because there's a chance that the genetic condition may affect the family members as well. This need to inform the family members of potential health concerns has been deemed outside the patient's sphere of confidentiality.