Breach of Confidentiality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Breach of Confidentiality - Essay ExampleThis means that a physician cannot reveal any information of the patient during the trail of word unless under the patients approval. The essence of physicians responsibility is to preserve patients confidentiality, and help them to be open and able to give all the information regarding their wellness status. This is done with the assurance that the physician will rampart such personal information. The honest revelation by the patient provides for a proper and effective treatment of the condition. There are, however, exemptions, for instance, if a patient may hurt others or himself or herself.A breach of confidentiality refers to the revelation of the patients medical information to another person without the patients permit by a physician or medical health expert. The revelation can be electronically, through word of mouth, or through writing. Thus, the physicians responsibility of safeguarding the patients medical records sometimes has t o relent to the interests of the whole.In Estate of Behringer v Princeton Medical Centre (1990), the late Behringer, working as a surgeon at the medical centre, suffered from AIDS. Behringer received treatment from the same hospital. His chart containing information about his diagnosis was not safeguarded at the nurses location on the floor where it was kept.The exposure of the information on his diagnosis revealed his medical condition, making the hospital necessitate his patients to sign a form recognizing the dangers to their health. Eventually, this resulted to the deferral of the doctors surgical rights (McHale, 1993). The inability of the hospital to protect his personal medical information led to Behringers estate suing the hospital for breach of confidentiality.The breach of confidentiality occurred in the sense that the hospital was supposed to safeguard the chart containing the surgeons diagnosis information. However, they instead left the chart