5.1 Truthfulness and Confidentiality

Question 1

conformance with fact or reality

Answer 1

Truthfulness

Question 2

the obligation to tell the truth and not to lie or deceive others

Answer 2

Veracity

Question 3

are regarded as
fundamental to the establishment of trust
among individuals, and they have a special
significance in medical imaging and other
health care relationships

Answer 3

Veracity and Truthfulness

Question 4

Truthfulness is summed up in two command:

Answer 4

1. Do not lie, and
2. You must communicate with those
   who have a right to the truth

Question 5

The first command leaves the imaging

professional

Answer 5

free to not communicate to avoid telling a lie

Question 6

The second command constrains the professional to

Answer 6

share information only with those who have a right to the truth

Question 7

falsehood told to a person who has a

reasonable expectation of the truth

Answer 7

Lie

Question 8

The ethics of lying is judged in terms of

consequences for the

Answer 8

Individual & Society

Question 9

The expectation of truth varies with the

following conditions:

Answer 9

1. Place of communication
2. Role of communication
3. Nature of the truth involved

Question 10

the environment of the expectation of truth

Answer 10

Place of communication

Question 11

the relationship between the communicators, which may have an impact on the expectation of truth

Answer 11

Role of communication

Question 12

includes personal information and

health information

Answer 12

Nature of the truth involved

Question 13

A person has the _______ during the informed
consent process, when making decisions about treatment, and when
making important nonmedical
decisions

Answer 13

right to truthful communication

Question 14

1. Place of communication
2. Role of communication
3. Nature of the truth involved
   All three of these conditions are related to
   the obligation of

Answer 14

confidentiality and the right to privacy

Question 15

Imaging Professional ______ have the authority to discuss pathological
findings with patients

Answer 15

do not

Question 16

concerns the keeping of secrets

Answer 16

Confidentiality

Question 17

Is the duty owned by health care providers to protect the privacy of
patient information

Answer 17

Confidentiality

Question 18

are as important as truthfulness in the discussion of patients’ rights and the imaging professional’s
obligations

Answer 18

Confidentiality

Question 19

is knowledge a person has a right or

obligation to conceal

Answer 19

Secret

Question 20

are secrets that arise from the fact
that harm will follow if a particular
knowledge is revealed

Answer 20

Obligatory Secret

Question 21

Obligatory secrets are of three types:

Answer 21

Natural secret,
Promised secret,
Professional secret

Question 22

a secret that by its nature would be

harmful if revealed

Answer 22

Natural Secrets

Question 23

Information shared in a ______ is by its nature harmful if

revealed

Answer 23

natural secret

Question 24

a secret the receiver has promised to conceal

Answer 24

Promised Secrets

Question 25

Knowledge a person has promised to conceal

Answer 25

Promised Secrets

Question 26

The harmful effects of breaking a promise

Answer 26

complicate professional
relationships and discourage the
sharing of privileged information that
may be vital to patient care

Question 27

a secret maintained to protect the

patient, society, and profession

Answer 27

Professional Secrets

Question 28

The most binding of the obligatory secrets

Answer 28

Professional Secrets

Question 29

When professional secrets are revealed, both the _____ and the ______ are harmed

Answer 29

patient,

imaging profession

Question 30

AHA

Answer 30

American Hospital Association

Question 31

describes the importance of professional secrecy in the hospital setting based on the nature of the
knowledge, the implied promise of
secrecy, and the good of society and
the profession

Answer 31

The Patient’s Bill of Rights of the American Hospital Association (AHA)

Question 32

EXCEPTIONS TO CONFIDENTIALITY
Some exceptions to confidentiality are
mandated by state law including:

Answer 32

Wounds, 
Abuse, 
Communicable diseases, 
Accidents, 
Birth defects, 
Addictions, 
Family’s need to know, 
Public’s need to know, 
Third-party payers

Question 33

The AHA’s Committee on Biomedical
Ethics notes the following conditions in
which confidentiality may be breached:

Answer 33

Also subject to state law, confidentiality may be overridden when the life or safety of the patient is
endangered such as when knowledgeable intervention can prevent threatened suicide or
self-injury. In addition, the moral obligation to prevent substantial and
foreseeable harm to an innocent third party usually is greater than the
moral obligation to protect confidentiality

Question 34

Some professionals are _______ and
believe that stricter rules of right and wrong
should be used in keeping information
confidential. They believe that the act of
keeping information confidential is more
morally important than the consequences
this act may cause

Answer 34

deontologists

Question 35

the perception

of fact and reality may change, so ______ is a somewhat fluid concept.

Answer 35

truthfulness

Question 36

Concealment of the truth is not necessarily a ___

Answer 36

lie

Question 37

Considerations of ______ are as important as truthfulness in the discussion of
patients’ rights and the imaging professional’s obligations.

Answer 37

confidentiality