Professional Issues - Confidentiality

Question 1

Confidentiality - 120A

Answer 1

• disclosure of information can only occur with consent or under specific circumstances
  
  • if police / ambulance require information for safe transport
  • to all relevant medical professionals - to ensure continunity of treatment
  • guardians if client is made involuntary
  • if there is imminent risk involved to an external persons / society
  • with consent, to family / carers
• disclosed information should be in best interests of the client, as minimal information released as required, unless formal consent gained
• personal records can be accessed unless it is determined that the information is sensitive / confidential in nature
• failure to disclose - ie - patient threatens to kill someone, practitioner does nothing, person gets harmed
  
  • can initiate legal action, negligence in the case of the practitioner
  • disclosure needs to occur when there is reasonable belief that harm will occur, to either patient or external person, protecting client
• predicting harm
  
  • based on cues from patient, verbal, physical, past history
• confidentiality is based on respect for autonomy, rights based around building relationships, trust